Review: ‘Blood and Rain,’ Though Basked in Noir and Intrigue, Ultimately Fails to Entertain 


“Blood and Rain” (“La sangre y la lluvia,” original title) is a 2009 Argentinian/Colombian drama starring Gloria Montoya and Quique Mendoza. The first feature film from Director Jorge Navas, “Blood and Rain” touts eight film festival nominations and four wins. The film follows Ángela, a mysterious party-goer, and Jorge, a taxi driver in trouble with local gang members. It is unclear how they got to the points they are at, but this adds to their enigma. Throughout the night, they encounter other residents of the city and we get a glimpse into their night. Full of nihilistic violence, “Blood and Rain” paints a sinister portrait of the city at the dead of night.

Navas’ film has a moodiness to it. We drive through Bogota’s underworld in a rain-soaked taxi. It’s an intense world with barely any lights. The film takes clear visual inspiration from Scorcese’s “Taxi Driver.” The streets are eerily barren and every shop is closed with the gates down. It seems unreal, more like a dream or nightmare. 

The streets feel unsafe but they never are. The danger comes from the corrupt police and gangsters who threaten Jorge. The movie suggests there is danger lurking everywhere and yet the minor characters who our protagonists bump into are always kind. A helpful homeless man, a friendly club worker, and a car full of good Samaritans are some of the characters who make the dark Bogota night seem less scary. However, these same kind individuals prove selfish when turned to for any kind of real help. This interesting juxtaposition makes these side characters more intriguing than our protagonists.

“Blood and Rain” clearly has strong intent but the resulting film is far from perfect. There are plenty of characters who overact, a common problem for low-budget flicks. There are also some odd choices made when expressing the physicality of certain characters. It comes off cartoonish at times. It doesn’t help that character motivations are sometimes misaligned. They make decisions necessary for the plot but not in line with who they are. 

The noir-esque mystery of it all is not enough to keep viewers engaged throughout the run-time. The film meanders, seeming to get lost around the midpoint. It does not justify its 1 hour and 49 minute length. Conversations between characters get boring fast. It seems hard to believe that it took three people to write the script for this picture. This is a film lacking any depth and much of the action seems thrown in for the sake of edginess. Though stylized and very cool, “Blood and Rain” hasn’t much to say and fails to entertain.