Blood-thirsty is the central theme of the upcoming horror film BLOOD. Well, there's also parenting and trying to get over substance abuse, but the bloodlust is what makes this a horror-thriller.

The main character, played by Michelle Monaghan, fights for her kids but does a lot of wrong things. both for her and her children. So, yes, you can anticipate getting irritated and annoyed along the way. However, I must also admit that everything makes sense in this particular setting.

We meet Jess (Michelle Monaghan), a nurse and recently separated mother, in Blood. She moves her young son Owen and daughter Tyler into her family's farmhouse in order to move on and build a happy life for herself and her family. Although it's an old house that's a little too far from everything, it's the only option that makes financial sense.

The family dog, which the father gave the kids, flees into the woods shortly after they move into the farmhouse. Jess, the mother, and the children are in distress. Things don't exactly improve once the dog returns, days later, bloody and enraged.

Owen is bitten and attacked by the dog in a brutal and realistic manner. An infection that takes several extremely negative turns as a result of the bite on his neck (yes, we are almost in a vampire/werewolf hybrid situation). A cure for Owen's strange illness is finally discovered when he suddenly wakes up and looks for the bag of blood next to his bed.

Owen requires a lot of blood. In fact, if he doesn't get blood, his behavior gets scary and his condition gets worse again, making it fatal. So, just how far will Jess go in order to save Owen? And given that he clearly poses a threat to those around him, is it even safe to keep him alive?

In this movie, Jess is somehow at fault for everything. She is responsible for the dog that she did not get for the kids, and even if the kids are at their father's house, it is her fault if they run away. Additionally, Jess is a formidable opponent who really does not dare to respond strongly. She just needs to relax because she has been struggling with addiction and there is a custody dispute brewing.

In addition, the dad is aware of this. Skeet Ulrich (Scream) plays him in a relatively minor role. His portrayal of their two children as their father is both heartwarming and somewhat manipulative. He is completely understandable, but he is evidently also so accustomed to being in charge of the children and blaming Jess for everything that it has become automatic.

As the protagonist of Blood, Michelle Monaghan receives significantly more screen time. She plays Jess in a very nuanced way, and even if you don't agree with her actions, there is always a reason for them. You may be familiar with some of Jess's soft feistiness if you have watched the Netflix series Echoes.

Two young talents take on the children's roles, which are very different from one another, but both give strong performances in their respective fields. After portraying Owen as both charming and overprotective, The Kindness of Strangers' Finlay Wojtak-Hissong is perfect as Owen.

Skylar Morgan Jones (Terror in the Woods) plays Tyler in a powerful and heartbreaking role as the older sister who has far too much on her plate. Always doing her best to avoid causing her mother additional problems, but clearly hurt.

Brad Anderson, who has directed a number of fantastic films, is the filmmaker behind Blood. First and foremost, he was the director of the grotesquely intense and eerie The Machinist (2004), which starred Christian Bale, who weighed almost nothing. Additionally, he was the director of the horror films Vanishing on 7th Street (2010) and Session 9 (2001).

Brad Anderson has mostly worked on TV series over the years. He most recently directed a few episodes of shows like Clickbait, Devil in Ohio, and Peacemaker. However, his most recent film was the Netflix thriller Fractured, which came out in 2019.

The author of Blood is Will Honley, who has previously written three horror feature films. He made his acting debut in 2014 with The Hive, followed by Bloodline in 2018 (which you should definitely watch as well), and Escape Room 2 in 2021. His fifth collaboration with director S.K. Dale (Till Death) is the sci-fi thriller Subservience, which is currently in pre-production.

Check out Blood if you're looking for a twist on a classic vampire horror tale with a lot of blood and a lot of blood. This film can be enjoyed at home or in the theater as long as you give it your full attention.

On January 31, 2023, Blood will be available to watch in theaters and on demand.