Scream’s humble beginnings began as a tongue-in-cheek horror film, and at the time, it was already ahead of the curve. Wes Craven had established himself as a solid horror director and, in 1996, was one of the first to create a mainstream meta film in the genre. Starring Neve Campbell as the ultimate final girl, Sidney Prescott, Scream became a phenomenon, spawning two more films in the original trilogy.

Two decades after the fact, Scream is still going strong, this time in the hands of original screenwriter Kevin Williamson. Campbell and Courteney Cox continue to reprise their roles from the original films, but it isn’t a stretch to say that the franchise has lost some of its luster. The most recent film is one of the lowest-rated, with a current rating of 31% on Rotten Tomatoes. This, in addition to the controversy following Melissa Barrera’s firing, has put a stain on the film series. Scream is one of the many franchises that continues to meander along, even though the best twist has already happened.

‘Scream IV’ Identified the Rise of Influencer Culture

Wes Craven’s last Scream film before his passing was a slightly divisive one, but it was a perfect send-off for the director. Though the trilogy had ended with a hopeful conclusion for Sidney, Scream IV justified its existence by bringing everyone back to the fold in a different way. Instead of forcing Sidney to be the young ingénue again, that honor went to her cousin, Jill, played by rising star Emma Roberts.

Sidney returns to Westboro to promote her memoir about the Ghostface killings, only to experience a new batch of murders. Scream IV brought the characters into a new decade with more advanced technology that modernized the story. This time, Ghostface was livestreaming the murders, turning horror into a viral event. Scream IV set itself apart from its predecessors as well, with the twist ending that brought the story together.

Ghostface was once again the creation of two killers, but one was too close to home. The Ghostface in Scream IV was none other than Jill herself, who expertly played the part of the victim, thanks to the help of the tech expert, Charlie (Rory Culkin). Jill is the perfect villain of the age, desperately wanting fame above all else. She saw how the media treated Sidney as the survivor of the original killings and wanted that for herself.

Using two killers wasn’t a new concept, but Jill’s viciousness was. She uses technology to exonerate herself and nearly gets away with it. As with traditional slashers like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, Sidney refuses to die and foils Jill’s plans. Jill’s motivations for becoming a killer fit perfectly within the time frame. It was a stark contrast to the disillusionment presented by Billy and Stu’s schemes.

Jill is so committed to becoming a famous final girl that she doesn’t care about killing her own friends. This is a terrifying element that allows Scream IV to stand apart. It is also tragic that the series did not go the way it was originally intended. Jill was meant to start a new trilogy of her own in subsequent films, but this idea was thrown out, and the sequels were canceled. The story of Jill was not only a genuinely surprising plot twist but could have been a way to refresh a series that has plateaued in recent years.

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Release Date

April 15, 2011

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Runtime

111 minutes

Writers

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Kevin Williamson

Producers

Bob Weinstein, Cathy Konrad, Ehren Kruger, Harvey Weinstein, Iya Labunka, Marianne Maddalena, Matthew Stein

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We don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t have to drop hundreds on a keratin treatment to get a glossy, high-shine finish. We found a stylist-loved brand used on rich moms in New York, Los Angeles and beyond, and get this: the products are secretly on Amazon. Better yet, this bestselling hair gloss is on sale right now — just $26!

The Expensive Clear Gloss Top Coat revives dull, dry, frizzy strands and gives your hair showstopping shine. Vibrance aside, this treatment also leaves hair softer, stronger and healthier. Whatever your hair type or texture, this gloss makes your mane, as one shopper put it, “smooth like glass.”

Get the IGK Expensive Clear Hair Gloss Treatment for $26 (originally $34) on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Alma oil, sea kelp extract, and sunflower seed oil work together to not only condition and shine, but also prevent damage and control flyaways. This glossy formula even provides UV protection for the sun-drenched days to come. As a bonus, it has a dreamy bergamot and mimosa scent that garners compliments in itself.

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When Demi Lovato announced her 2026 tour, we couldn’t help but wonder what items she’s bringing to stay chic, balanced and comfortable — so we asked her. Lovato told Us everything she can’t live without while on tour, from stylish sweaters and compression pants to exfoliating masks and cactus water, and get this: It’s all […]

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Get the IGK Expensive Clear Hair Gloss Treatment for $26 (originally $34) on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

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Cardigans are fine, but nothing screams ‘confidence’ quite like a long blazer. Katie Holmes and Meghan Markle started the trend, and now it’s all we see rich moms wearing from New York City to Los Angeles. These stylish outer layers make any outfit appear expensive, and get this: Our favorites start at just $9. Plus, […]

Mikayla Nogueira is moving on after splitting from Cody Hawken.

The influencer, 27, shared a new video via her TikTok on Friday, March 6, revealing she was getting ready to “go on a date” less than a month after announcing the former couple were divorcing.

“Honestly, not gonna lie. I wish I could share the tea on the craziness that has been my life like the last six…” she said before trailing off and admitting she was attempting to be “more private” with her personal life.

She then teased, “But if you knew the whole story… oh my god, your jaw — you wouldn’t be able to pick it up.”

Related: Influencer Mikayla Nogueira Is ‘Stressed’ After Cody Hawken Divorce News

Influencer Mikayla Nogueira is sharing subtle insight into how she’s feeling since announcing her divorce from Cody Hawken. The beauty guru, 27, took to Instagram on Monday, February 16, to share a selfie with a soft smile while going makeup-free. “My skin is STRESSED,” she captioned the pic, zooming in on blemishes. “My gosh.” In […]

Nogueira explained she didn’t necessarily plan to share that she was heading off on a date but decided, “I’m in my f**king era, so I don’t give a sh*t. I’ve just been such an open book that it’s hard for me to keep my mouth shut.”

The influencer added that she’s feeling positive after  navigating a few emotionally difficult months.

@mikaylanogueira

GRWM for a date #date #datenight #grwm #makeup #beauty

♬ original sound – Mikayla Nogueira

“Personally, I am obsessed with this era of my life that I’m in right now,” she explained in the clip. “It is f**king awesome. I feel free. I just feel like a f**king boulder was lifted off of me. I’m gonna live my f**king life.”

Nogueira’s post comes after she announced her divorce from Hawken, 29, via TikTok on February 12. (The pair tied the knot in July 2023 and were together for five years.)

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Influencer Mikayla Nogueira had been candid about her ups and downs with estranged husband Cody Hawken before their formal separation. Nogueira and Hawken met on the dating app Tinder in 2020, nearly one year before getting engaged. The couple wed in July 2023 before going their separate ways in February 2026. “I want to protect […]

“I want to start this video by saying I appreciate you and I love you and you’re going to want to be sitting down for this video. I am getting a divorce. Take a minute, take it in. I am getting a divorce,” she said at the time. “Cody and I love each other so much. We love each other so much. We would do anything literally for each other. I want you to know that. I’m not going to be sharing any details whatsoever as to why Cody and I have made this decision.”

Describing divorce as “an extremely sh***y thing,” Nogueira added, “No one gets married to get a divorce. Absolutely no one.”

Nogueira added that the decision to call it quits was “very amicable.” She also clarified that despite announcing it via social media in February, the duo broke up “last year” and she had “spent the last few months processing” the split.

What three things would you take with you to a deserted island? Food? A knife? A good book? This is the age-old question of childhoods past and icebreaker questions on first dates. The answer is always different depending on whom you ask: the survivalist, the romantic, or the person who would simply give up on day one.

That’s why deserted island movies are so entertaining to watch. When put in the eye of danger, every human reacts differently. Some go mad, some burn the rum to make a smoke signal, and some use every piece of sheer willpower to find a way home. Being stranded on a deserted island is both terrifying and exhilarating, no matter how many ways you’ve thought about whether you’d be able to survive or not. These legendary island survival movies showcase just how terrifying, exhilarating, and transformative that experience can be, all from the comfort of viewers’ couches.

25

‘Robinson Crusoe’ (1997)

Image via Walt Disney Studios

Pierce Brosnan stars in the adventure drama, Robinson Crusoe, as a Scottish gentleman who is on the run from the law and being pursued by British authorities after killing a man during a duel. When Crusoe is shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island, he must fend for himself, fighting against the harsh elements as well as the struggles that come with his isolation and memories of his former life.

Robinson Crusoe is based on the famous 1719 novel by the same name, written by Daniel Defoe, and features Brosnan in one of his most overlooked performances. The movie had a limited release that resulted in very little media and press attention, but through the years, many have credited it as one of the best adaptations of Defoe’s story and have also commended Brosnan for his mainly one-man performance. —Andrea Ciriaco

24

‘The Most Dangerous Game’ (1932)

Image via RKO Pictures 

When a big game hunter, Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea), is shipwrecked on a strange island, he finds himself in the company of a reclusive and eccentric man, Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). Initially, Rainsford is grateful for Zaroff’s hospitality, but when he and several other shipwreck survivors are forced to participate in the Count’s sadistic game of being hunted, he realizes they are all in mortal danger and tries to find a way off the island before it’s too late.

The Most Dangerous Game is a pre-Code horror film based on the 1924 short story written by Richard Connell. The movie follows an intense game of cat and mouse and is regarded as a thrilling melodrama with unwavering suspense, leaving audiences in unbearable anticipation. At the time, some of the film’s more gruesome moments were not held in high regard, but today, The Most Dangerous Game is more than suitable for a modernized audience and ranks as one of the best deserted island classic movies. —Andrea Ciriaco

23

‘And Then There Were None’ (1945)

Image via 20th Century Studios

When eight strangers are invited to a small, remote island by an unknown host, they arrive only because they are led to believe the host has damning information on each of them. As the guests sit down for dinner, a staff member plays a record with a man’s voice informing them that he has evidence of them all being guilty of murder. With their mysterious host nowhere to be found, the guests’ confusion soon turns to hysteria as each one of them is killed off, one by one.

Based on Agatha Christie’s iconic 1939 murder mystery, And Then There Were None is a tedious thriller that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The movie features the eerie children’s nursery rhyme, “Ten Little Indians,” which plays not only a crucial role in the story but also provides a ghostly and unsettling tone throughout the movie. With the ominous setting of the isolated island and the web of mystery and suspense, And Then There Were None will make being stranded on a deserted island somewhat appealing. —Andrea Ciriaco

22

‘Hell in the Pacific’ (1968)

Image via Selmur Pictures

During World War II, a Japanese naval officer, Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda (Toshirō Mifune), becomes stranded on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. Initially, Tsuruhiko believes he is alone, but he soon discovers an American pilot (Lee Marvin) who has crashed his plane into the island. Due to a language barrier, the two men are unable to verbally communicate, but instead, the enemies taunt one another and refuse to work together to find a way off the island. When they are both faced with starvation and dehydration, they put aside their differences and decide to help each other.

Hell in the Pacific is a war drama centered around the importance of human connection and the bond that can form between enemies in an isolated environment. This particular deserted island movie contains an insightful theme of acceptance and understanding that is rarely seen in such caliber. Despite the cast only containing two actors, both Marvin and Mifune deliver exceptional performances, each bringing a different perspective to a controversial topic and finding common ground as human beings, making Hell in the Pacific a must-see deserted island classic. —Andrea Ciriaco

21

‘Uninhabited’ (2010)

A dream vacation turns into a fight for survival in the 2010 survival horror film Uninhabited. In the movie, Beth (Geraldine Hakewill) and Harry (Henry James) decide to vacation on a secluded island, not knowing that it’s haunted by the ghost of a young woman named Coral (Tasia Zalar). The island’s natural beauty masks a dark history, and the couple soon finds themselves trapped in a supernatural struggle against a malevolent force.

While Uninhabited didn’t do anything revolutionary within the genre, it offers a fun viewing experience that horror movie enjoyers can appreciate. Hakewill’s performance as Beth is a standout, since she made Beth’s terror palpable with every line and expression. However, the film’s true star might be the island itself, with its stunning yet desolate beauty that elevates the sense of isolation and fear that both the characters and the viewers will feel.

20

‘Paradise Lagoon’ (1957)

Ever wondered what would happen if a group of posh Brits were suddenly forced to fend for themselves? In Paradise Lagoon, the Loam family, a group of hilariously inept aristocrats, and their unflappable butler, Crichton (Kenneth More), navigate the challenges of island life after a shipwreck. The social order and dynamics of the group are then turned on its head, since the family has to count on Crichton’s survival skills.

Without a doubt, More’s performance as Crichton will captivate viewers, bringing to life a resourceful butler who becomes the unlikely leader of the shipwrecked group. The movie is also incredibly funny with its satirical portrayal of the Loam family, particularly Lord Loam (Cecil Parker), who fully personifies the cluelessness of the upper class. With its witty dialogue and side-splitting moments, Paradise Lagoon is a fun deserted island film to watch for movie night.

19

‘Horrors of Spider Island’ (1960)

Horror fans shouldn’t overlook terrifying and thrilling B-movies because there are real gems like Horrors of Spider Island. The movie follows a group of dancers and their manager Gary (Alexander D’Arcy), who find themselves stranded on a remote island after a plane crash. Their worries about rescue are quickly overshadowed by a far more terrifying threat—Gary has been bitten by a giant spider and he transforms into a violent half-human, half-spider monster.

Despite its initial critical reception, which focused on its low-budget aesthetic and implausible plot, Horrors of Spider Island has garnered a devoted following over the years. That’s because it fully embraces B-movie tropes, such as laughably cheesy special effects and melodramatic dialogue. Horrors of Spider Island should be brought up when campy horror films are mentioned, since it checks off all the boxes for gloriously bad cinema.

18

‘Retreat’ (2011)

Retreat follows a couple who seek recovery from a personal tragedy that has shattered their lives. And they do so on an isolated island, away from any sort of news or civilization. Their retreat is ruined though when a stranger washes ashore to tell them that an airborne disease has rattled Europe.

Retreat is a creative twist on the deserted island genre, moving the film into the realm of the small-scale apocalyptic subgenre. It certainly brings the anxiety of a couple experiencing shocking world news after being detached from humanity for a while. And while the execution is far from perfect, it’s worth commending the intriguing premise.

17

‘The Blue Lagoon’ (1980)

Image via Columbia/Tri-Star

One of the quintessential and staple stories of sexuality and growth on a deserted island, The Blue Lagoon has been a staple of the genre for generations, with a multitude of different adaptations over the years. The 1980s version is easily one of the most successful and recognizable versions of the story, following Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins as Emmeline and Richard, two children who find themselves shipwrecked and stranded on a seemingly perfect tropical island. As they adjust and live out their new lives on this island, the duo slowly begins to fall for one another as they build a new home.

The Blue Lagoon does a good job of adapting the themes and legacy of the classic novel to the big screen, with a powerful and timeless portrayal of love and the sanctity of youth, no matter the circumstances. While it’s certainly guilty of having levels of schmaltz and cheese that were more prevalent for these types of adventure films of the 80s, the undeniable strengths and feats of the original novel help make this adaptation stand the test of time. – Robert Lee

16

‘Six Days, Seven Nights’ (1998)

Six Days, Seven Nights combines the typical deserted island survival movie situations and puts them together into one film: pirates and a plane crash. Harrison Ford plays the grumpy and reclusive charter pilot who is hired to fly the more straight-laced Anne Heche to an emergency photo shoot in Tahiti. Soon, it turns into a movie about a couple stranded on an island, desperately trying to survive.

Their plane crashes during a storm on an uninhabited island where the two are thrown together to survive. The onscreen chemistry between Ford and Heche is what truly makes this admittedly flawed film so fun to watch—they both play their respective characters so well, leading to the perfect opposites-attract relationship in the end. The two fight off the environment, snakes, and pirates in this heartwarming and often funny, deserted island movie.

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 39 seconds ago

Recently, the internet has been filled with breathless headlines about some seemingly disastrous Star Trek news. Starfleet Academy has wrapped filming on Season 2 has yet to be renewed for Season 3, and there are no new shows being made; that means that for the first time in over a decade, there are no Star Trek series in production or even greenlit. To many fans, this is bad news because it means the future of their favorite sci-fi franchise is stuck in complete limbo.

However, I can’t help but feel like this is good news for Star Trek as a whole because it will give the franchise time to reinvent itself. The NuTrek era, led by Alex Kurtzman, has been a decidedly mixed bag, and Paramount (who is still adjusting to a merger with Skydance) is about to purchase Warner Bros. With all these changes on the horizon, greenlighting any new Trek show today would be a mistake because even if the show is good future leadership could end up canceling it after a year or two to take the franchise in a new direction.

The Canary In The Coal Mine

Generally speaking, I think it’s a good thing that Paramount will be waiting some time (quite possibly years) before greenlighting any new Star Trek content. One reason for this is Starfleet Academy, a controversial show that may already be dead. The show recently finished filming Season 2 (which was greenlit long ago), but the cast members who have talked about it sound a bit worried they won’t be coming back; if this is true, it would line up with rumors that Paramount suddenly canceled the show, forcing the writers to turn the season 2 finale into a series finale (which is the exact thing that happened with Star Trek: Discovery).

There are many reasons why Starfleet Academy may have gotten quietly canceled, and the most logical one is that it hasn’t been getting enough viewers each week to justify its outsized price tag (over $8 million per episode). However, another mitigating factor may be that the show didn’t impress the new management. David Ellison became the CEO of Paramount only after Starfleet Academy got the green light, but there’s always a possibility that this very conservative leader might have wanted to put the kibosh on Trek’s wokest show.

That doesn’t mean that future Star Trek writers need to tailor content to Ellison, of course, but it highlights a stark reality: it’s hard for shows and showrunners to impress the boss when the boss keeps changing. There could be future leadership changes after Paramount acquires Warner Bros., and there will almost certainly be extensive internal conversations about what to do with the studio’s biggest franchises. Simply put, it makes no real sense to green-light a new Star Trek show now when it could get suddenly canceled, which is what happened with Discovery and almost certainly what happened with Starfleet Academy.

The Writing On The Wall

From the very beginning, Alex Kurtzman has been the architect for the NuTrek era, and he may have seemed like a safe choice at first because he co-wrote Star Trek (2009), a very successful reboot. However, while Kurtzman’s tenure in the command chair hasn’t been a complete disaster, it has consistently produced a mixed bag for fans. Discovery was overly violent and then overly abstract, while Picard was generic sci-fi slop wrapped up in lazy fan service. 

Strange New Worlds started strong but eventually became nothing but broad comedy and hollow melodrama. Lower Decks and Prodigy were both excellent, and both were canceled too soon. Most recently, Starfleet Academy had a very controversial first few episodes, and while the show is definitely getting better, it seems like Paramount may be learning a costly lesson about making such a poor first impression on the fandom.

An Expensive Lesson

There’s a pretty obvious lesson here: in less than a decade, we have had six different Star Trek shows. Of them, three (Discovery, Prodigy, and Lower Decks) were canceled early, and another (Strange New Worlds) will be ending early after an abbreviated fifth season. Now, Starfleet Academy is seemingly joining the ranks of shows receiving early cancellations. While fanboys don’t like to hear it, the message is clear: if Star Trek keeps making shows that fail, then it makes perfect sense to take a few years off in order to create something better.

Before anyone says it, I’m not writing this from the perspective of a hater: I enjoyed most of Discovery (Seasons 3 and 4 were “meh”), love most of Strange New Worlds (Season 3 notwithstanding), and I loved every frame of Lower Decks. Heck, I’m even starting to warm to Starfleet Academy, a show that had the rockiest start since TNG Season 1. But at the end of the day, this is a business, and if Paramount keeps canceling new Star Trek shows, it’s because they’re not making money.

It’s All About The Latinum

Until we get to the cashless society promised by Gene Roddenberry, money will still determine how many $8 million episodes of multiple Star Trek shows Paramount is willing to create. Furthermore, the only way for these shows to generate a profit and effectively justify their existence is to gain more viewers. For all its strengths, the truth is that the NuTrek era has failed to consistently achieve that, and a handful of zealous fanboys defending a show’s honor online each week doesn’t translate to that many people watching it.

This isn’t some culture war thing; it doesn’t matter how woke or unwoke a show is, it matters whether it appeals to enough fans to make a profit. Star Trek stopped consistently doing that at the exact moment that Alex Kurtzman took over. Now, more than ever, it’s time for this franchise to get some new leadership and take time off to discover the answer to a question that Kurtzman himself obviously never bothered to ask: what do Star Trek fans actually want to watch?

Maggie Gyllenhaal admitted she was worried about mixing business and her personal life before casting her husband Peter Sarsgaard in The Lost Daughter.

Speaking to The New York Times’ “The Interview” on Friday, March 6, Gyllenhaal shared she was initially concerned about her husband playing a character scripted to have steamy sex scenes when she directed the 2021 film.

“It is complicated working with my husband,” Gyllenhaal, 48, told the outlet. “We’ve done it in all sorts of ways. We did The Lost Daughter, where he has a really hot love affair with Jessie Buckley.”

She added, “And at first, I almost didn’t give him the part.”

Gyllenhaal explained that she questioned whether she could juggle her professional role as a director while navigating the reality of her real-life partner playing out spicy scenes in front of her.

“I was like, ‘I don’t need that, also.’ Along with directing a movie for the first time,” she explained. “I actually offered it to somebody else first. And I knew he was hurt. And I remember speaking to both my best girlfriend and to this teacher. And both of them were like, ‘You can’t manage this? Can you really not?’ And I was like, ‘No, I think I can actually.’”

After changing her mind and casting him in the role, Gyllenhaal said that she was ultimately able to direct The Lost Daughter’s sizzling scenes from an “unconnected, emotionally, place.”

“I mean this wasn’t at all about the sex. This was about the courtship, which was so hot and pushing them and pushing them and watching them create as like, real actors have to, like create the love,” Gyllenhaal said.

She also said that she thought both Sarsgaard and Buckley’s performances were “brilliant” in the end.

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Sarsgaard was close friends with Maggie’s brother Jake Gyllenhaal before striking up a romance with Maggie in 2002. The couple got engaged in 2006 then went on to tie the knot three years later in Brindisi, Italy. Maggie and her husband share daughters Ramona, 19, and Gloria, 13.

Giving a rare insight into their marriage in December 2023, Sarsgaard, 55, shared the “simple” reason his marriage to The Dark Knight actress has lasted the distance.

“Tell the truth,” Sarsgaard told E! News after he was asked about the key to a successful marriage. “Isn’t that all there is? It’s pretty simple. It’s not that complicated. Isn’t that the secret to any friendship or relationship?”

By Robert Scucci
| Published 10 seconds ago

The problem with horror thriller logic is that if you’re actually living in one of these movies, you don’t notice any of the obvious warning signs until it’s far too late. This is exactly what happens to Bobbi Torres (Britni Camacho) in 2024’s Blood Star, an intense ride through the punishing New Mexico desert, where she encounters the patently evil Sheriff Bilstein (John Schwab). Had she known she was living in a thriller where she’s about to be hunted for sport, she would have gotten the hell out of dodge before things got too dicey.

Fortunately, Bobbi is a fighter who knows how to handle herself, even when nobody believes her story, or worse, they believe it but simply don’t care.

Punishing Asphalt, And A Bone-Spitting Sheriff

The basic plot to Blood Star is shockingly simple, but its raw energy carries the premise to its grisly end, one violent encounter at a time. Bobbi, traveling through New Mexico after breaking up with her abusive boyfriend, Rhett, stops for gas and meets the Sheriff who’s dead-set on ruining her life, with plans to end it outright once he’s finished playing his sadistic games with her.

Their first encounter is friendly enough, with Sheriff Bilstein offering Bobbi a soda at the gas station, which she politely declines. Given how menacing the sheriff is right off the rip, nobody in their right mind should accept a free beverage from him. He immediately comes off like the type of guy who takes a mental note of your head dimensions in case he wants to mount it on his wall later. The shots of him munching on fried chicken in his cruiser, which doesn’t appear to have a working air conditioner, are enough to make your skin crawl. Watching the sheriff chomp away at his lunch makes for some of the most disturbing closeups the movie has to offer, and that’s saying a lot.

Clearly abusing his power, the Sheriff sets up an elaborate game of cat and mouse, letting Bobbi drive off only to apprehend her later. He shoots out her tail light so he has an excuse to pull her over, and later shoots out her tire so she’s stranded in the desert with no way to escape the punishing New Mexico heat.

Along the way, Bobbi has run-ins with locals who are fully aware of how much of a jerk the Sheriff is, but they don’t know the true extent of his wrath. They assume he likes to abuse his power and flirt with young women, which is still unacceptable behavior, but not the kind of thing the average gas station attendant or diner employee is going to call out, especially if it means risking their job or getting arrested.

A Solid Road Thriller, But With One Minor Issue

The dynamic between Sheriff Bilstein and Bobbi in Blood Star feels authentic. We have a psychopath who clearly wants to make his subject suffer, which is made evident through his willingness to slowly saunter through his surroundings, letting her wonder when he’s going to strike next. Bobbi is a total badass because she knows she’s being screwed with in a way that gives her zero room for error, but she’s still rightfully scared out of her mind.

One thing that rubbed me the wrong way about Blood Star, however, is every other ancillary character. They’re complicit, but not malicious, meaning they know the Sheriff is up to no good but aren’t willing to do anything about it. They accept the power dynamic without question, most likely out of self-preservation. While that works well enough as a plot mechanism, it also makes me wonder what could have been.

I was 100 percent certain I was about to get the Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style trope where everybody is in on it, but they’re not. Part of me is relieved the movie doesn’t take that generic route, but Blood Star could have had some fun with the motif by putting a fresh spin on it. Instead, every single side character feels one-dimensional, and they don’t really add anything to Bobbi’s main conflict beyond reinforcing the idea that you’ll see a man’s true colors if you slap a badge on him and give him some power.

Still, Blood Star remains a fun, tight road thriller that’s totally worth your time for the back and forth between Bobbi and Sheriff Bilstein alone. The sun-blazed scenery and hazy backdrop only add to its charm, making it a near-perfect thriller.

Blood Star is currently streaming for free on Tubi.

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LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE TOOLS

Published
March 7, 2026
12:05 AM PST