Bloodshot Review: Confused sci-fi comic book to screen origin story

Bloodshot, a sci-fi action thriller, fails to rouse the senses -- all it does instead is reference other super-hero characters and present a questionable, totally implausible, unscientific prototype that seems as faulty as it is ridiculous.

Bloodshot
U/A; Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Cast: Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Guy Pearce
Director: Dave Wilson
Rating: 

Dave Wilson's Valiant comics' 'Bloodshot' adaptation is a superhero origin story that rarely sparkles… yet never dies. Vin Diesel, who takes a mini-break from his two other super successful franchises (F&F and XXX) is probably looking to augment his arsenal in return for A list credits but 'Bloodshot' doesn't appear to have the wherewithal to navigate to that illusory goal. The film, a sci-fi action thriller, fails to rouse the senses – all it does instead is reference other super-hero characters and present a questionable, totally implausible, unscientific prototype that seems as faulty as it is ridiculous.

Diesel, though he has the image and bruiser credentials to suit the role, fails to lend it the stature of a superhero. In fact, what we get is an unchecked body slam that appears innocuous and unworthy of superhero credentials… and this despite the refurbished add-on powers that so-called scientific resurrection allows for.

Watch the trailer of Bloodshot below:

An ace soldier Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) gets resurrected in Dr Emil Harting's (Guy Pearce) RST industrial facility. The fanciful Doctor, who has sinister intent, is of course not willing to let the refurbished killer machine to break free of his satellite engineered shut-down protocol.

While the idea is worthy enough for cult comic book adventures, it doesn't play out distinctively on screen. Screenwriters Eric Heisserer and Bob Layton fail to deploy enough mystique and enticement to make us believe in what seems atrocious and entirely improbable. Vin Diesel's laconic utterings also make the iconic character sound like a dimwit. The dialogues and the concocted scenarios make it all seem rather tedious and unexciting. Even the action leaves a lot to be desired. The VFX and CGI look too jumbled up and uncool. Frankly its rather difficult to believe in a far-fetched origin story that doesn't ever hit the right notes!

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