Film Review: Tremors 5: Bloodlines (2015)

Tremors 5: Bloodlines (Review)
United States/2015
Format Viewed For Review: Netflix Instant
Netflix Streaming: Yes
Amazon Prime: No

"Despite the generic story and inconsistent pacing, the film is entertaining."


Monster hunter Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) and his new cameraman Travis Welker (Jamie Kennedy) head to Africa to hunt down creatures known as "Ass-blasters," as well as many more...

For those who took a hiatus from the franchise, Tremors 5: Bloodlines starts off with a faux promotional video from Burt Gummer's program. And, fortunately, this introduction is quick and efficient, catching us up to speed within minutes. The rest of the plot is fairly basic stuff. Burt and Travis head to Africa when they're commissioned by Erick Van Wyk of the South African Wildlife Ministry to capture an "Ass-blaster." So, the pair arrive and begin the hunt. To their utter surprise, the creatures have evolved with the change in territory – that includes changes in form and method of attack. There's a twist here and there, but that's practically the entire plot for you. The twists in the film can also be seen from a mile away. The ending is cliché but decent.

Tremors 5: Bloodlines is a decent creature feature. Despite the generic story and inconsistent pacing, the film is entertaining. It offers plenty of thrills and some very humorous moments, blending to create some creature feature fun. If you love watching these creatures explode and leave goops of orange blood behind, then there's plenty of that in here for you. As for the humor, though, it was a bit hit-and-miss. Sometimes I chuckled, sometimes I stayed with a steady face. I wish it were a bit more consistent. And, like I said, the pacing suffers from a similar issue. There are moments where Bloodlines is all about the fun, then there are those very slow and uneventful moments. Those moments really felt like a vacuum, sucking up all the fun from before and after.

I haven't watched Tremors in a long time, but it was great to see Michael Gross reprising his role. He's very fun in this film. Jamie Kennedy plays B-Rad from Malibu's Most Wanted. I mean, really, I don't know if he's even acting anymore, his performance and his articulation are oddly familiar. Although some of his lines were stale, Kennedy delivered a decent performance. The film is shot well and the music choice fits the mood of the film. Director Don Michael Paul crafts a decent creature feature. He directs with confidence, creating a stylish and fun movie. Maybe it was the writing or maybe it's on Paul's shoulders, but some of the scenes really could have been erased or edited without affecting the story or entertainment.

Overall, I liked Tremors 5: Bloodlines. It's a fun and exciting creature feature. The story is generic, the humor can miss often, and the pacing is inconsistent, but I had fun. Really, I enjoyed a bulk of the film, despite the flaws. If you enjoy the Tremors series or creature features in general, I think you'll enjoy Bloodlines. It's at least worth a cheap rental.

Score: 6/10
Parental Guide: Strong violence and blood.