Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) is a special forces soldier with a beautiful wife who believes in duty and always comes home. But when his wife is killed in front of him and he is shot dead seconds later it would appear that everything is at an end. That is until Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce) brings him back from the dead and instils him with super powers by way of nanite technology. 

Whilst Bloodshot is based on a Valiant comic book series the film feels far more like an action movie than a comic movie. Part Universal Soldier, part Iron Man 3 and featuring Vin Diesel in a vest (because of course) its opening half is filled with cliche. Garrison’s homecoming to his wife screams “I have two days till retirement” or “let me show you a photograph of the girl I write letters to back home” but a small twist at the mid way point writes the film out of that corner and actually made me impressed by their courage to push those cliches quite so hard. The plot is thin despite this nice change of pace at the midway point but the action comes thick and fast to keep you occupied. 

As far as the characters and acting goes everyone does a good enough job to keep things moving. The stand outs are Guy Pearce who virtually reprises his Iron Man 3 role and Toby Kebbell who leaves the biggest impression with a small part. I guarantee you will be humming Talking Heads Psycho Killer after his introduction. Elsewhere Diesel does exactly what he always does, for better or worse is entirely up to you to decide. 

Special effects and action sequences are solid and serviceable although the films attempts at being set in “London, England” are risible. It would be a good start for them to change the number plates on cars, let alone pick a location that has a passing resemblance. Some of the CGI elements can stick out like a sore thumb but I quite liked the way Garrison’s body would blow apart and come back together again.

Is it going to enter the pantheon of action greats? No.

Will it pass as a fairly entertaining 109 minutes? Yes.

What remains to be seen is whether it kicks off the Valiant comics shared universe it was supposed to be the start of.