Bloody Mallory

Year: 2002
Director: Julien Magnat
IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299556/

Rating: 3 out of 5

Review:
For a movie called “Bloody Mallory” there’s a surprising lack of blood in this French supernatural action flick.  The movie is like the bastard child of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a Japanese cult horror flick, like Tokyo Gore Police…without the gore. And, interestingly enough, there are shout outs to Lovecraft in the film.

The film follows the exploits of the titular (pun intended) Mallory and her sidekicks, a transsexual named Vena Cava, and a mute pre-teen telepath named Talking Tina who can possess the bodies of other people or animals.  Mallory also has help from her dead demon husband, who has rather well done glowing red eyes for a low budget flick.  In fact, all of the make up effects are pretty good, easily rivaling Buffy or Doctor Who (in fact, I’m pretty sure I spotted a few Who extras).  Mallory and her band have to stop the fallen angel, Abbadon, from releasing the other fallen angels, but he happens to be the Pope…yeah, I’m not going to explain that one.

As I mentioned, there are shout outs to Lovecraft.  Specifically, the Necronomicon is referenced several times as a book of laws that demons must follow.  Additionally, at one point the “worshipers of Abbadon” are shown and one of the pictures is a portrait of Lovecraft himself.  Otherwise there are no references to the mythos.

One of the most surprising and welcome bits of the film is Valentina Vargus as the evil vampiress.  Ms. Vargus, best known as “the girl/the Rose” in Name of the Rose and Angelique in Hellraiser Bloodlines, was apparently reluctant to be in the film, but she’s very good as the sexy vampire assistant to the Pope.

There’s really no explaining this film properly.  From Vena Cava’s dildo nunchucks to Mallory’s revealing zip up top, this film is just…weird.  A good kind of weird, though, and amusing at times.  For a French film, there’s no nudity, no gore, some blood, but not much, and the violence is mostly not shown.  In fact, other than some strong language (Mallory wears gloves that spell out on the fingers, “FUCK EVIL”), this film would be kid friendly.

It’s worth a watch, if for no other reason to see how bizarre the whole thing is.