Horror Movie Review: Blood Glacier (2013)

A group of scientists working in the German Alps on the effects of climate change on the glaciers come across a glacier that is leaking a red liquid giving it the impression that it is bleeding.

The red liquid is organic & having an effect on the local wildlife, infecting & transforming them into monstrous creatures. The group are fascinated by all manner of transformed beasties while trying to keep the incident quiet for the imminent arrival of an important government minister.

Only Janek, the moody & some-what alcoholic main character sees the danger in the infection. He realises the danger earlier then the others after his dog is attacked & it’s not long before the ‘blood’ starts to have an effect on humans as well.

He plans to warns the minister & her entourage but is ultimately distracted by his ex-girlfriend who is part her group. It’s not long before both groups come under attack from some varied mutations such as foxes, goats, woodlice & a bird of prey.

The movie becomes about survival & reconciliation…not exactly treading new ground in horror.

Still it’s an enjoyable watch with some great effects. If you’re the kind of person who gets squeamish about bugs growing under skin then this might not be the movie for you. There are a couple of nasty growth scenes that look pretty impressive. It doesn’t scrimp on the gore but stops short of being a blood-bath.

There are a number of sub-plots occurring throughout that have no real impact on the overall movie experience as well as some pointless social commentary involving climate change & abortion issues. It’s all there but you won’t really pay much attention when a mutated goat is trying to smash its way into a building. The abortion plot is there so we can get a strange payoff at the end that had me scratching my head a bit…

I’ve heard that the dubbed English version of the movie is terribly done with laughable dialogue translation & voices poorly matched up. The version I watched was sub-titled & it was better for it. The actors are a lot more believable & natural in their own language but that doesn’t help when some of them are just terrible.

Take Janek out of the picture & a few others & you’re left with some seriously average actors behaving in some unbelievable ways. Their not helped by some of the movies motivations that either don’t make sense or just don’t convince. For example: what is the Government minister a minster of? Why are some of the scientists so desperate to hide the discovery? I mean it’s going to come out fairly soon with all these deformed beasts running around!

These questions & more distract you from the enjoyment that comes with mutant creatures attacking humans. It’s a movie of half-ideas…

There is an alright movie here buried amongst social commentary about climate change & abortion. The effects are a lot of fun & result in some really nice death scenes. You’re excited to see what kind of creature is going to turn up next & it’s hard not to be a little grossed out when insect eggs start hatching from someone’s face!