When runaway teenager Lydia (Erin Moriarity) accidentally shoots her drugs cartel boyfriend, she makes a desperate run for it, asking for help from her estranged father Link (Mel Gibson),a tough ex-con still on parole. Together, father and daughter go into hiding, pursued by vicious killers.

I know that Mad Mel doesn't think very highly of the English (or anyone who is not an Australian/American Catholic, for that matter),but I'm still a fan, and Blood Father proves that he still has what it takes, the star putting in a moving performance as a caring father who will do anything to protect his daughter.

This isn't an all-out action-fest, which might disappoint some viewers (although there are some great action scenes to be had)—it's a tale of redemption, with a flawed character doing his best to make up for past mistakes, which seems very apt: perhaps Hollywood should learn something from this film and give its troubled star one more chance.

Best moments: the opening bit of satire—16 year-old Lydia buys countless packs of bullets at a store without a problem, but is carded when it comes to cigarettes; the motorbike chase scene (nice to see Mel toting a shotgun once again); and what's that? Mel making fun of himself in a scene in which he spews hatred of minorities? I had to laugh.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Lydia Carson (Erin Moriarty) is running with gangsters under the control of boyfriend Jonah (Diego Luna). He tries to force her to kill but she ends up shooting him instead. On the run from the gangsters, she seeks help from her estranged ex-con father John Link (Mel Gibson).

It's one of those hard crime thrillers where it's important to point the camera at Erin Moriarty's butt. I don't want to hate on people who revel in butt shoots. For me, it moves it away from a good hard neo-noir thriller. There's value to that move but without it, the movie could try for something darker and more brutal. Mel Gibson has it in him to be in a cruel viscous movie and this is set up for that. This is not that. It's a bit of action fun with a sprinkling of grimy dirt and an old hand in the genre. It works as such but it's not much more than that. The father daughter chemistry is fine. Gibson gives as much as he can. It tries to amp up the dialogue. It adds up to a solid B-movie.

Blood Father is a disappointing and derivative revenge flick with Mel Gibson playing Link, a grizzled ex con on parole, trying to stay straight and recovering from drink and drugs.

He lives in a trailer, works as a tattooist and he spends everyday talking to his sponsor Kirby (William H Macy) who is also his neighbour.

Out of the blue his missing daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty) contacts him as she needs money. She has shot her gangster boyfriend lover Jonah (Diego Luna) in the neck and now fears for his life.

Link in order to protect his daughter has to step up to the plate, putting his parole at risk as he heads for a showdown against Jonah's gang pursuing them.

Gibson is plainly a B movie action star these days making lower budget films that look a bit cheap with a script that lacks polish and finesse. Maybe things will change since his Oscar nomination for Best Director for Hacksaw Ridge.

Here Gibson is let down by choppy action scenes and a below average script which at times is incoherent. Even with its short running time it looks flabby.