The stage curtains open ...
This film seems to be a bit mistimed, but the intentions are noble and the approach still feels fresh. I don't typically jump into an obvious low budget film like this, but from what I had read about it, my interest was piqued, so I decided to give it a chance. Surprise, suprise! It wasn't half bad, and besides, it was fun to see Vernon Wells (now in his 70's) still kicking and delivering lines. I remember him from WAY back in the day when he used to play slightly over-the-top bad guys in movies like "Commando" and "Fortress".
Our story picks up when a vampire/romance novelist, named Olivia, retreats to a family cabin at Lake Tahoe to work on her latest project. She isn't well-reviewed and has doubts about continuing on when a bat suddenly slams into the window, startling her. She gathers it up, puts it in a box out in the garage and wakes up the next morning to find that it has changed into a vampire. Injured, and weak, he is at her mercy. She nurses him back to health using pig's blood and in return, he allows himself to be interviewed to get the facts straight for her new novel. However, some of his friends come calling, and things begin to get messy.
I was a bit surprised with "Red Snow". For being so low budget, the production values seemed high. It was well shot and edited, and newcomer Dennice Cisneros handled her role fairly well, though a bit stilted at times. The interaction between our two main characters, Olivia and Luke, is the compelling nature of this film. To me though, what really makes this film work is Nico Bellamy (Luke). More than any of the others, he seemed to be the most invested into his character.
"Red Snow" is a black comedy that knows not to take itself too seriously, and subtlely deals with other subject matters such as tropes, sexual politics, and perspective. The dialogue, for the most part, is witty and intelligent. I found it amusing in parts and it garnished a smile or two, but even so, it does not come at a high recommend. The intended affect of the ending fell a little short with me. When it is all said and done, a vampire is still a vampire. 5 stars out of 10.
