Blue Is the New Blood Red (Blue Ruin, 2013)

Director Jeremy Saulnier creates a savage tale of revenge and the downward spiral it creates with Blue Ruin.  Blue Ruin begins with Dwight being freed from prison.  Her returns to his childhood home and estranged family.  He is there for revenge, but when his attempts as an assassin go a bit awry, it all escalates.

This is a slow burn film.  Dwight’s attempts at revenge lead to himself being hurt and his family being put in danger.  Dwight is played with quiet intensity by Macon Blair.  The film is bleak, with a tragic ending.

This is a well shot meditation on revenge.  The theme seems to be that revenge will eat away and destroy people.  Dwight is a bit inept as a killer, but he is also ultimately successful, but at the expense of his humanity.  Saulnier is a skilled storyteller and Blue Ruin is a challenging watch.  The road of vengeance is the path of self destruction and Dwight lives that out to the bitter end.