BLOOD FOR BLOOD (1974) **

A trio of bank robbers kill a pair of stranded motorists and steal their car.  They then make their way to a farmhouse owned by the churchgoing Ernest Borgnine, thinking they can lay low.  They’re surprised to learn old Ernie is quite handy with a shotgun and he quickly blows a hole in the ringleader’s abdomen.  Borgnine then proceeds to hold the robbers hostage in his home, and while he waits for the cops to arrive, he takes a little too much glee in keeping the gunmen prisoner.  This doesn’t sit well at all with his granddaughter (Hollis McClaren), who is sickened by how cruel her Bible-thumping gramps can be. 

Blood for Blood is a fine showcase for Borgnine, who has fun playing a character that is equal parts Bible-quoting grandpa and warped psychopath.  Some fun can be had from seeing the twinkle in his eye when he’s putting the screws to the robbers.  Michael J. Pollard is also good as the main thug who is unpredictably crazed, and McClaren has a nice Sissy Spacek-type quality about her.

This is a typically ‘70s movie where the moralizing is purposefully murky and the violence is often gratuitous, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a good picture.  You can tell the filmmakers were trying for a Straw Dogs-type vibe, and yet it fails because there’s very little suspense to be had.  After the shock of seeing Borgnine’s kindhearted character turn coldblooded on a dime wears off, there’s not much here, I’m afraid.  The confrontation scenes quickly become repetitive and the tension never builds up much steam as Borgnine is more than a match for the killers at every turn.  

AKA:  Sunday in the Country.  AKA:  Self Defense.  AKA:  Vengeance is Mine.  AKA:  Killing Machine.