Though In Our Blood has some pacing issues, the film’s realistic filming style and mysterious, alluring narrative make it worth watching.
Director: Pedro Kos
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Found footage
Run Time: 89′
Fantasia Premiere: July 31, 2024
In Our Blood Release Date: TBA
In Our Blood follows Emily (Brittany O’Grady of The White Lotus), a filmmaker who travels to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she grew up, to visit her mother, Sam (Alanna Ubach of Euphoria). Emily hasn’t seen her mom for many years. She was taken out of her custody at the age of 13 due to Sam’s drug problem.
However, Emily’s mother claims to have cleaned up her act, and invites her daughter to Thanksgiving dinner. Emily obliges and travels with her cinematographer, Danny (E.J. Bonilla of The Exorcist: Believer), to her mom’s residence. While there, Emily plans to make a documentary on the rekindling of their relationship, though the next day, her mother disappears without a trace. Emily and Danny are then left to pick up the pieces and discover what happened to Sam.
In the opening scene of In Our Blood, we observe an emotional Emily saying, “I can’t. I can’t be part of this system anymore.” Though the meaning behind this line is unclear, it’s the perfect start to the film. It immediately makes viewers curious about what led her to make such a claim and piques the audience’s curiosity without giving anything away. From there, the film quickly rewinds through all the footage Emily and Danny have presumably shot while visiting Sam. This makes us aware that our leading lady’s confession to the camera happens after all the events we are about to see occur.
Among all the subgenres of horror, found footage terrifies me the most. There’s something incredibly unnerving about how much realism this style of filmmaking instills in the audience and its ability to make stories even more believable. Experiencing the narrative from the characters’ points of view also makes us feel like we are in their shoes, witnessing each event unfolding in real-time.
As Danny and Emily drive across the country, Emily explains to her cinematographer the complexity of her relationship with her mother and what led to their estrangement. This information immediately makes viewers care about Emily reestablishing a relationship with her mother, as so much time has passed since they were last in each other’s company.
An engaging plot, alluring mystery, and the ability to create character investment make In Our Blood effective early on. Once Emily and Danny arrive at Sam’s house, something is amiss, which only adds to the mystery of the feature and leaves the audience trying to figure out where the story might lead. Sam is anxious and erratic, and her disappearance, which is discovered the following day, is a disturbing development as more details surrounding it are unraveled. When Emily’s search for her mother begins, In Our Blood becomes increasingly intriguing, showcasing a rich narrative full of suspense and tension. The audience is introduced to many characters along the way who are meant to be Sam’s friends, yet viewers never know who might be involved in her disappearance or who to trust.
Pedro Kos is no stranger to documentary filmmaking, so having him direct a found footage film is a fitting choice. His ability to make In Our Blood feel authentic, with a unique, lifelike first-person perspective, adds to the film’s appeal and enhances the feature’s innovative storytelling alongside a gripping narrative brimming with uncertainty. The feature is also led flawlessly by O’Grady, a remarkable talent who profoundly anchors the film.
I don’t want to spoil the ending of In Our Blood, but I will say there were some twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Many horror films and thrillers are predictable, with the audience frequently figuring out the reveals well before the third act arrives. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this feature’s conclusion. The narrative takes a complete 180 from what you might have imagined, though once you reassess the film, subtle hints throughout the story give viewers much more clarity on previous scenes that may not have made much sense at the time.
In Our Blood’s biggest pitfall is pacing issues towards the end, leading to a sudden and rushed climax. The final twist also feels misplaced and abrupt, resulting in some murky plot points. I wish the film had taken more time to flesh out the third act reveal. I couldn’t help but feel that by the end, the narrative leaves more questions than answers.
Though the conclusion doesn’t quite hit the mark, there’s still much to love In Our Blood. Writers Mallory Westfall, Steven Klein, Aaron Kogan, and Clay Tweel bring a fresh story to the table, and Kos’ documentary filmmaking background makes him the perfect director for this found-footage horror/thriller. The feature has a fantastic buildup full of mystery and suspense, realistic storytelling, and a brilliant lead performance by O’Grady, all of which make In Our Blood worth watching.
In Our Blood premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival on July 31, 2024.
