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Haunted ship movies are disappointingly few and far between. Enter “Blood Vessel,” an epic, highly-stylized horror flick that both delights and haunts. Though the story leaves a bit to be desired, its marvelous trappings more than make up for minor shortcomings. It’s well-acted, superbly shot, and bucket loads of fun. 
In the midst of World War II, somewhere in the Atlantic ocean, 1945, the survivors of a torpedoed ship drift helplessly in a lifeboat. The ragtag bunch consists of Captain Malone (Robert Taylor), American cook, Jackson (Christopher Kirby), chef Bigelow (Mark Diaco), Russian sniper, Teplov (Alex Cooke), British nurse, Ms. Prescott (Alyssa Sutherland), Australian prisoner of war Sinclair (Nathan Phillips), and British intelligence agent  Faraday (John Lloyd Fillingham). While afloat, the lifeboat happens upon a Nazi ship. And with dwindling rations, the survivors take their chances, boarding the boat.
Curiously, the vessel appears abandoned, all except for a young girl who keeps speaking in Romanian about her family. While exploring the seemingly-deserted ship, corpses turned almost inside out appear hinting at a sinister catastrophe aboard the Nazi ship. Mysterious, otherworldly cargo stored aboard points to German collection of occult artifacts.
With its plot centering on Nazis gathering supernatural items, “Blood Vessel” almost seems set in the same universe as “Indiana Jones.” Like “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which revolved around the German army seeking the Ark of the Covenant, “Blood Vessel” finds esoteric artifacts aboard a Nazi boat. However, this time it’s vampires. Creature design is a bit heavy on the CGI, but still inventive. Instead of humanoid depictions, The Patriarch (Troy Larkin), and The Matriarch (Vivienne Perry) look akin to the bat-like space vampires from “Lifeforce.”
Additionally, “Blood Vessel” establishes its own lore. Largely, that’s accomplished through unique vampire design, and affording the bloodsuckers telekinetic powers. Further, the Nazi ship is littered with occult books, crosses, and unlabeled boxes. This world-building truly brings the film to life.
Its ensemble cast proves pleasantly surprising as each of the characters offers a distinct personality. As such, relationships drive the movie just as much as its gruesome effects. Ship interiors provide a claustrophobic environment, perfect for dispatching creatures of the night.
The story itself is disappointingly paint by the numbers. Although the cast of characters remains varied, hailing from Australia, England, America, and Russia, each player is a caricature. Likewise, the plot plods along predictably, from discovering the Nazi warship to escaping its dangerous clutches.
But “Blood Vessel,” is a journey not about the narrative, and instead its trappings. Effects are convincing, set design marvelous, and atmosphere brooding. Ship interiors are bathed in shades of red, and swaths of vivid color. Presentation compensates for the lackluster plot, and “Blood Vessel” ultimately glistens as balls-to-the-wall horror gem.
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