‘Bloody Axe Wound’ Review – Slasher Takes His Daughter To Work In A Satirical Take On The Genre

Murder can be a family business, or at least that is the case for Abbie Bladecut (Sari Arambulo). As the daughter of a real-life slasher, Roger Bladecut (Billy Burke), she has built an entire business on videotaping real-life killings and selling them to a macabre-centric clientele. Bloody Axe Wound is a satirical take on the slasher subgenre, fusing humor with blood and guts in a story about family legacies. This perfect black comedy is tailor-made for the gore hounds and horror buffs. Peppered with charming performances and comedic underpinning, this one will leave a mark.

Horror lends itself to social commentary, partly thanks to the genre’s ability to push the norms and wrestle with sociological issues. Horror also lends itself to the area of comedy. See Scream, Scary Movie, Lisa Frankenstein. A blending of the genres creates a devilish concoction. Here is what we find in Bloody Axe Wound. It feels like a perfect companion piece to Lisa Frankenstein, another meta-comedic take on the genre. Here, we watch the world of a slasher in the trappings of a family business. 

Set in small town Clove Falls, which feels right out of the pages of Haddonfield or Woodsboro, we find a town in the grip of annual killing spree. All the work stems from the machinations of Roger Bladecut — a perfect name for a slasher. However, with the family business struggling and the old man looking to retire, the burden of carrying on the grizzly tradition falls to the daughter. 

There is a ceremonial passing of the knife between father and daughter. As Roger looks to retire from his business, he sees Abbie as the perfect heir. The stage is set with a group of high school teens as the victims. Abbie, poses as a high school student, is set to infiltrate the group. Her job is to pick them off individually, like in a slasher movie. However, Abbie’s heart is smitten with one of her would-be victims, Sam (Molly Brown). This creates a problem as Abbie tries to fulfill her family obligations while charting her own course. 

Part of the film’s charm is its sendup of the genre. The movie is not making fun of the subgenre but creating a heart-warming—or perhaps heart-dripping—tribute. This is by no means a Scream meta-level reference to awareness, but the characters are, for the most part, playing along as they navigate the stalking of a killer.

Bloody Axe Wound plays like a traditional slasher. There is a killer in the mask, stalking, slashing, and even nods to other horror films. The movie creates a beautiful blend of meta-commentary on the genre while also telling a unique story. A slasher film has some occasional subtext, particularly between the killer and the final girl. The idea of the killer falling for the final girl is an undercooked idea. While this film does not fully embrace the concept, it does have fun, particularly when Abbie is trying to live up to her Bladecut heritage. 

This film creates a perfect combination as Abbie is originally meant to be the slasher but finds her heart swayed by romance. She begins feeling she is not cut out for the family business. Enter, her father, who is a spin on Jason and Michael. The film becomes a quasi-movie within a movie, which at times might feel jarring, but it ultimately works with the quirky nature of the story. 

The family dynamic is the film’s most decisive moment. Mainly as Abbie wrestles with her slasher heritage. There is the obligation of her father and her moral compass. The movie does not wade into too deep of waters, but it does leave us with a hint that some things may be stronger than the bonds of blood. 

However, the script is tight, and the movie is more concerned with creating a family heirloom than a mocking rendition of the genre. It is dark when it needs to be but also lighthearted and twisted. Bloody Axe Wound cuts up some interesting chops and leaves us with a film sure to become a favorite among fans of the genre.   

Bloody Axe Wound is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of RLJE Films and Shudder.