Verdict
Summary
This is as good as the previous entries in the franchise (Vampire Journals from the previous year was a sort of spinoff and was really good too), and fans of the franchise – and vampire movies – will really enjoy it.
Plot:
An ancient vampire revives from near death and tries luring his most recent convert back into his clutches.
Review:
After becoming a vampire, Michelle (Denice Duff) nearly kills her master, the ancient vampire Radu (Anders Howe), who is a razor’s edge away from permanent death when he’s revived by what can only be described as a miracle. As he recoups in a nearby castle in Bucharest lorded over by Ash, one of his protégés (played by Jonathon Morris), Radu toys with Ash’s plaything, a rebellious vampire named Serena, which helps revivify his body and spirit. Meanwhile, Michelle has been taken to a nearby hospital where a woman named Ana (Iona Abur) and a doctor named Niculescu (Mihai Dinvale) quickly surmise that she’s a vampire. Since she’s already sipped from Radu’s treasured “bloodstone,” she possesses an experience that the doctor craves … because he’s also a vampire. Being as such, the doctor has used science to curb his thirst for blood and being able to walk in daylight, which the other vampires consider an abomination, and he uses Michelle as collateral against Radu, who eventually shows up to reclaim her as his own. Trading three drops of essence from the bloodstone in exchange for Michelle, Radu exerts his power over her, but she continues to be a thorn in his side as she refuses his power, his wealth, and his immortality. One last fight between them will yield only one victor, but will the vampire curse continue on, regardless?
Full Moon’s most well produced and directed franchise, Subspecies movies are tightly knit horror films with great production value, each shot on location in Romania with very gory and effective makeup and practical appliances, and there’s always a little dose of sex and nudity to keep the vampire aura in place. They’re highly gothic and creepy, and Anders Howe’s portrayal of the ancient vampire reminds me of an angrier Klaus Kinski from Herzog’s Nosferatu. This is as good as the previous entries in the franchise (Vampire Journals from the previous year was a sort of spinoff and was really good too), and fans of the franchise – and vampire movies – will really enjoy it. Writer / director Ted Nicolaou did a great job with these films.
Full Moon has finally released a standalone Blu-ray edition of Subspecies 4, as it was only available before in their deluxe collection (encased in a coffin, I believe) at a high price. All of their other Subspecies films have been released on Blu-ray before this belated release, and they’ve each been “remastered” for high definition Blu-ray, shown in the widescreen format for the very first time. That said, this release is the most disappointing of their releases because it’s presented in full frame (1:33:1), despite having been shot in 35mm. The text on the back says it’s been remastered from the best sources available, which makes me think that the original elements for the film have been lost. The picture quality here has blurring and digital distortion, but if this is the best we’re going to get, then I’m just glad it’s finally available as a standalone disc to complete the set. Special features include trailers and the original “Videozone” making-of feature. It’s numbered #145 on the spine.
