Vampires are oversaturated, just like zombies, but sometimes we get a decent movie or two resurrecting the old hat and making something interesting from it. Guillermo Amoedo (Aftershock, The Green Inferno) brings us The Stranger which follows Martin who suffers from a blood disease that is highly contagious and causes him to desire blood and flee from the sunlight. Standard vamp stuff but they never say the word “vampire”. He’s hunting his wife who fled from him after finding out she was pregnant and killing a human woman. Martin thrives off the blood of animals and is determined to wipe out his kind to prevent the destruction of the human race. He finds his wife has died but not before giving birth to their baby, Peter, who, miraculously, was born without the curse. After some street thugs, aided by their leader’s father who’s a cop, attempt to kill Martin he is saved by Peter who does not know of his past.

When I first got this movie I was apprehensive given the “Eli Roth Presents” header and Amoedo’s last work with Roth, Aftershock which I thought was utter shit. I’m glad I didn’t skip this one, though. The story of Martin is a tragic one, he is determined to kill himself, as he’s the last of his kind, but is torn between protecting his son Peter from the corrupt town he lives in. It’s revealed the lead gang member is the deputy’s son and pretty much has free run of the town, including murder and arson.

Martin describes the disease as a plague that could wipe out the human race and in a short film (of which the film is based on) included on the disc we learn it’s akin to the Fourth Horseman of the apocalypse, Pestilence. There are heavy undertones of Catholicism within the film, particularly a scene in which Martin heals Peter after a brutal attack. It’s also wrought with complex father and son relationships. Martin and the deputy both have difficult jobs in that they both have sons who are particularly dangerous, one more so than the other, but can’t bring themselves to do what’s necessary. However, the film did fall flat in it’s attempt to make the audience feel guilty for the deputy. It’s revealed early that he’s a recovering alcoholic and widower but neither of which is enough to exempt him from letting his son run amok torturing and hurting people left and right.

The Stranger was filmed in Chile as apart of “Chilewood” a film-making venture from Roth and Amoedo who want to advance the film world in Chile. Amoedo had several successes, and failures, in Chile before Roth and he collaborated on Aftershock but I’m glad to see they took a different turn with The Stranger. It’s a film that battles back and forth with morality, much like any other vamp flick, but it takes the glamorous aspect away which is refreshing. That’s not to say it’s without fault though. In one particular scene Martin uses his blood, which he is constantly telling people to stay way from, to heal Peter. It’s a bit confusing and doesn’t seem to follow it’s own rules until it becomes convenient to the plot. Also, the acting is sort of flat from various characters and tends to lag on repeating itself over and over until the climax. I get it dude, you’re blood is infectious, shut up.

That aside, I was surprised by The Stranger and maybe I can attribute that to my low expectations going in. Is it the greatest vampire film ever made? Not by a long shot, but I appreciate it trying to incorporate the Four Horseman as its explanation and it’s subtle homages to Near Dark. Give it a watch and be thankful Eli Roth doesn’t show his face in it. The cinematography is gorgeous in itself and I made me want to hop the next plane to Chile.