CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Sarah Rio Judy Davis was horrible to River and made his life hell on set. He took the drugs that night to try to forget how awful he felt after enduring her abhorrent behaviour. Even the director couldn't stand her and how she was treating River. If she has a conscience (which I highly doubt) then she shouldn't be able to live with herself. Here she is continuing to work, meanwhile, an incredible actor and person is long dead. It's just not right.

Wael Katkhuda This movie was something special for me, most of it because it's the last film for one of my all time favorite movie stars (River Phoenix). what made it more interested to me (and maybe to many river's fans) is that it was never completed due to his sudden death back to 1993. The story line or let say the idea of it is very slimier to the 1990 film (Misery) Starring both: Kathy Bates & James Caan, but unfortunately Dark Blood failed to reach half of Misery due to many reasons: First and the main reason was the movie was never completed because the scenes are just 80% of the film which destroyed a lot of aspects although the Director read some notes that weren't shot (in order to understand many things), but this was not enough. the second reason was there was no chemistry between Phoenix and Davis especially from Miss Davis side( not to mention that she doesn't have the qualities to attract a young man) in other words she was miscast for this role. As for both River Phoenix and Jonathan Pryce they really delivered one of there most powerful roles till date. MR. Phoenix gave us a brilliant performance as a villain. and he really developed himself very hard to present this part. he didn't care about his looks at all, he made himself really look like a half Indian half American and the death scene was very powerful i think if it was completed back then he arguably will be nominated at least to Golden Globe. At the end if you are one of River Phoenix Fans i highly recommend you to watch his last great performance, but don't expect to watch a great movie. it's a fine one with a very good performances.

Michelle Levine Psychological thriller, art film and well acted with a strong American Indian theme, amid stunning cinematography (though obviously NOT the Arizona desert) - this flick is a rescued treasure and would be a gem in its own right, even had beloved River lived to complete the very few missing scenes. Dark Blood's message: 'Humanity is poisoning the earth and early colonizers were no worse than modern European Americans and other tresers. Disrespectful to the land, as to its rightful stewards. You know nothing about this land and nothing . Just go. Could learning respect have been an option? Sure. Right up until the point where you killed EVERYTHING.' Wow. *and then the parallel stories with the nuclear fallout and real-life actions* This is a very strong message the writer and director are ing on, while educating us about Anasazi ruins and the struggle of a mixed blood off the reservation in a multitude of ways. Viewing the ruins first as tourists, Harry and Buffy read about the ancient peaceful people who use to live here. They return to the site later as refugees; at this point,Harry es a sign that says WHITE MAN, THIS LAND IS POISONED BY YOU. CURSED BY US.Buffy es a sign that says DEATH DO NOT ENTER HEREI loved the soundtrack, but it was a big miss to not include Robbie Robertson's "Ghost Dance" in it. A future edit should obviously include that song and Jonathan Pryce dubbing over George Suizer's narration, slightly edited, so the script of it sounds like one of the actors, merely adding in his own thoughts.Suizer and Jim Barton make a direct point to the audience (clearly one Phoenix approved). These writers probably knew something you don't: how many tribes exist in North America today? Don't know that? I recommend starting with The American Indians, by Edward H. Spicer. It is good to know about the past of the land we are living on, as well as the present. I am impressed with the current generation Germans wishing to understand and pay atonement for a genocide they personally had nothing to do with - makes me forgive them, as a Jew. I pray that, one day, my fellow Americans will be as humble, and learn more about American Indians, past and present.

streamofstars "Doesn't it get lonely?", Harry asks Boy, looking out over the wide, barren desert. "Everywhere is lonely. America is full of loud mouths always shouting and trying to get themselves heard", Boy replies.I had mixed feelings after watching Dark Blood. Finally being able to see it after all these years, it was almost as if if was just one of those films I never got around to seeing. I was only 13 at the time of River Phoenix's death, which greatly affected me. I was always intrigued as to when or even if Phoenix's final film would ever see the light of day. (The film was nearly finished shooting at the time of his death.) So when I heard that director George Sluizer was going to finish the film, I was excited but also a bit hesitant.The film opens with Boy (River Phoenix) and his dog howling at the moon. We are then introduced to Buffy and Harry (Judy Davis and Jonathan Pryce) a troubled married couple from Hollywood, who are travelling through the Utah desert. Their car breaks down not once, but twice. The second time it breaks down, they are left stranded in the middle of nowhere. When night comes, after seeing a light in the distance, Buffy goes looking for help, and stumbles upon Boy's shack. We find out that he is living in an area that was once a nuclear testing site. Besides his shack, he has also created a secret mystical cave full of survival items and the 'magical' Kachina dolls he makes.Buffy's attraction to Boy is obvious from the start. She is intrigued by and attracted to him, meanwhile Harry is becoming more and more annoyed with the situation as time goes by. When the time comes for Buffy and Harry to leave, Boy won't let them. I won't give anything else away, but it is quietly captivating and tense.Of course the big question is what happens when you are missing pieces of the puzzle, so to speak? The scenes that were never to be filmed, are now just still shots, (except for maybe one or two), with a voice-over narration by the director. It is done nicely, but I feel it would've been more effective to have moving footage of the desert instead. With these few key scenes missing, most notably between Buffy and Boy, it does slightly take away from the overall feel of the film. Still, what George Sluizer has done is impressive and ultimately special.The acting from the three leads is excellent. River Phoenix is superb. He plays Boy with a fine balance between complicated and strange. You don't know what he is going to do next. Judy Davis is terrific as the laid back and trusting Buffy. Jonathan Pryce is wonderful as the wary and uptight Harry. The chemistry between Davis and Pryce is lovely. The tension between Harry and Boy is fascinating, as seen when Boy leaves Harry alone in the middle of a canyon.The cinematography by Edward Lachman is simply gorgeous. The desolate landscape is both stunning and eerie. A fitting backdrop for the heated relationships and circumstances. The hypnotic score by Florencia Di Concilio is beautiful.It won't be a film for everyone, but if you're a fan of Sluizer's work or any of the cast, then I hope you get the chance to see it. River Phoenix was in a class of his own. He had such a strong screen presence, it was a pleasure to finally see his final film. I want to commend George Sluizer for finishing the film.