‘Aaron’s Blood’ (review)

Produced by Marc Sterling, Tommy Stovall
Written and Directed by Tommy Stovall
Starring James Martinez, Trevor Sterling Stovall,
Michael Chieffo, Farah White, David Castellvi

A 12-year-old hemophiliac boy, incessantly tormented by a bully at school, eventually must go the hospital after one of his scuffles leads to some internal bleeding.

Once released, the boy begins to exhibit some bizarre physical traits: he has no appetite, his skin becomes very quickly irritated and beyond when exposed to direct sunlight, and he has sudden strength and agility.

Any seasoned horror fan can see where this is going, and certainly Aaron’s Blood does cover some familiar ground.

However, this one is more akin to Martin, The Addiction and Only Lovers Left Alive, in terms of looking at vampiric lore from a different perspective.

For while there are certainly some creepy moments here – as well as one good shock – Aaron’s Blood is really about a single dad’s desperate attempt to save his son’s life and soul before it’s too late.

Not only does Dad need to figure out how to reverse the transformation, he must also contend with a modern-day vampire hunter who wants the boy dead. Also, Dad, in his desperation, commits a few crimes in his quest, possibly paving the way for a loss of his own morality in order save his son.

While the very low budget is evident and the film is far from a slam-dunk, it does work, thanks in large part to the surprisingly good acting on hand. James Martinez as the loving father is very effective – and affecting – in what could have been a one-note role.

Trevor Stovall as the infected boy also delivers, offering a wholly believable shift from bullied kid to tough, mean vampire to increasingly-despairing young man terrified of losing his humanity.

Also notable is veteran character actor Michael Chieffo, on hand as Earl, the aforementioned vampire hunter. The character and performance pleasingly wind up being more layered than initial impressions suggest.

The film stumbles a bit in its pacing. Even at a brief 80 minutes, the film is padded with several nightmare sequences that, while offering a glimpse into Dad’s psyche, are ultimately unnecessary and slow the film down.

Those looking for a terrifying, roller coaster ride of a horror flick should look elsewhere, but Aaron’s Blood is a slight, but worthwhile vampire film for those looking for something a bit different.

Aaron’s Blood is now playing in limited release
and is available On Demand and Digital HD.