Blood for Dust

Blackhurst doesn’t succeed in closing out his state of the nation diagnosis in a form any more substantial than old-school gunplay. But there are intuitive flashes of a cynical worldview in his crisp image-making.

“Blood for Dust” never makes one false move as it leads its characters into temptation and then hell.

[W]hatever its shortcomings, including too much solemnity and not enough jokes, there's no denying that the film creates a powerful mood and sustains it.

[A] modest, character-driven modern noir.

"Blood for Dust” is a throwback, in the sense of being exceedingly familiar. An early shot of a snow-covered parking lot inevitably evokes “Fargo,” but “Blood for Dust” doesn’t have a witty line or a glimmer of humor.

The film is held together by the intensity of its haunted-looking cast and the dour atmosphere.

While its elements are highly familiar, Blood for Dust looks and sounds great, and it has an immediacy, darkness and pitilessness that is all its own.

The setup is promising but the end product doesn’t fully deliver, offering a sobering, often gruesome tale of bad decisions from impossible choices and the consequences that inevitably follow.

Blackhurst’s gritty and grounded storytelling in “Blood for Dust” breathes new life into the plot device, and—with the brilliantly-acted contentious chemistry betwen McNairy and Harrington—succeeds perfectly.

Blood for Dust is a thriller that's so grim it sucks out any possible fun and meaning. The soundtrack is enticing, but insinuates suspense, which never truly comes during this film's runtime.