Author Peter Craig’s 2005 crime novel, Blood Father, sure found its appeal when it landed in the purview of Assault On Precinct 13 and Mesrine helmer Jean-François Richet. Eleven years later, it is now a feature-length thriller adapatation in full-bloom and making the rounds among critics for some time now.
Leading a quiet life as a tattoo artist since his release from prison, John Link doesn’t ask much out of life. All he wants is to find his daughter Lydia, who’s been missing for the past few years. When she suddenly calls him one morning asking for help, he immediately runs off to her rescue. Unfortunately, she’s being chased by a drug cartel that claims she owes them a lot of money. While John attempts to reason with them, they’re not the kind of people you can bargain with. Losing his daughter twice, however, is out of the question. The cartel isn’t just taking on a teenager and an ex-con — it’s about to face off with a father dead set on saving his daughter’s life.
Mel Gibson is back! Many of us miss the good old Mel Gibson from the ’80s and ’90s. Granted, we were in for a treat with his turn as a villain in THE EXPENDABLES 3, but this summer, he returns as the hero. In BLOOD FATHER, brilliantly handled by French director Jean-François Richet, Gibson delivers a solid performance that reminds us why we love him so. It’s also a return to American soil for the director of the two MESRINE films (which screened at Fantasia 2010), who also impressed with his 2005 remake of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13. This time, Richet gives us a loving homage to the action films of the ’80s and ’90s while maintaining a modern feel, an extremely well-written, action-filled feature gloriously shot in the New Mexican desert. Shoot-outs, car and motorcycle chases, explosions, everything you need for optimal entertainment is here. Diego Luna as the drug kingpin, William H. Macy as Link’s buddy and sponsor, and the charming Erin Moriarty (JESSICA JONES) as his daughter — what more could we ask for? As we wait for HACKSAW RIDGE, Mel Gibson’s latest directorial project (slated for release later this year), his fans can rejoice over this powerful performance and fall in love once more with Mad Max, Riggs and all the other memorable characters who made him famous.
