So, you’ve probably heard of the BloodRayne movies. Or maybe you haven’t, which honestly might be for the best depending on who you ask. But if you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of "so bad it’s good" cinema, the name Uwe Boll is gonna pop up like a jump scare. He’s the guy who basically cornered the market on low-budget video game adaptations. BloodRayne: The Third Reich is the third installment in his trilogy, and it’s a weird one.
Released in 2011, it finally puts the titular dhampir—that’s a half-vampire, by the way—back where she belonged in the first place: World War II.
Why the Third Movie Changed Everything
The first BloodRayne movie was this weird medieval fantasy thing. Then the second one, Deliverance, was a Western. Don't ask me why; it just was. By the time we got to BloodRayne: The Third Reich, the production moved to Zagreb, Croatia. Natassia Malthe returned as Rayne, and she’s basically the only reason some people even finished the movie.
The plot? It's classic B-movie territory.
Rayne is fighting Nazis in 1943 Europe. She joins a resistance group led by Nathaniel Gregor (played by Brendan Fletcher). During a skirmish, she accidentally turns a Nazi Commandant named Ekart Brand (Michael Paré) into a day-walking vampire. Now, you’d think a 200-year-old vampire hunter would know not to spill her blood on the enemy, but here we are. This mistake sets off a plot where the Nazis try to turn Adolf Hitler into an immortal vampire.
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Yeah, it’s that kind of movie.
What Most People Get Wrong About BloodRayne: The Third Reich
There’s a huge misconception that these movies were intended to be high-art masterpieces that just failed. They weren't. Uwe Boll is a guy who knows his audience—or at least, he knows how to get a movie made on a tight budget.
One of the wildest things about this production? He filmed two movies at the same time. While the crew was shooting BloodRayne: The Third Reich, they were also filming a parody called Blubberella. Same sets. Same actors. Same costumes.
Imagine being an actor and one minute you’re playing a serious Nazi officer, and the next you're doing a slapstick comedy scene on the same train car. It’s chaotic.
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The Clint Howard Factor
You can't talk about this movie without mentioning Clint Howard. He plays Dr. Mangler, a mad scientist clearly modeled after Josef Mengele. He’s the one trying to figure out how to use Rayne's blood to create super-soldiers. Honestly, Howard is usually the highlight of any weird movie he’s in, and he leans into the "mad doctor" trope with everything he's got.
It’s gross, it’s over-the-top, and it fits the vibe of a movie where people explode into yellow dust.
Let's Talk About the "Boll-isms"
If you’ve watched a few of his films, you start to notice patterns.
- The "Two-Take" Rule: Actors have mentioned that Boll rarely does more than two takes. Even if you mess up a line, if the lighting was okay and nobody tripped over a cable, he’s moving on.
- The Budget Constraints: The audio levels in this movie are all over the place. Sometimes you can barely hear the dialogue over the music; other times, the Foley effects (like sword clanks) are way too loud.
- The Cameos: Look closely and you’ll see Willam Belli (the drag queen and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum) as a resistance fighter.
Most critics absolutely hated it. It sits with a dismal score on most review sites. People complained about the "clunky script" and "wooden acting." But for a certain type of horror fan, the sheer audacity of the premise—Vampire Hitler—is enough to make it a cult curiosity.
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The Connection to the Games
The original BloodRayne game from 2002 was actually a pretty decent hack-and-slash. It had style. It had a cool protagonist. And it was set in the 1930s and 40s.
Ironically, BloodRayne: The Third Reich is the closest the film franchise ever got to the actual source material. In the game, Rayne is an agent for the Brimstone Society fighting the G.G.G. (a Nazi occult group). The movie tries to capture that "Agent Rayne" vibe, but it lacks the budget to do the supernatural elements justice. Instead of fighting ancient demons and Lovecraftian horrors, she’s mostly just kicking guys in uniforms.
Is it actually worth watching?
Kinda. If you’re looking for a serious war drama or a high-stakes horror film, stay away. Far away.
But if you’ve got some friends over, a few drinks, and a love for movies that feel like they were made on a dare, it’s a trip. The fight choreography is... let's call it "enthusiastic." Natassia Malthe does her best with the material she’s given, and the Croatian locations actually look pretty decent for a direct-to-video flick.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re planning to dive into the world of BloodRayne: The Third Reich, here’s how to handle it:
- Watch the "Making Of" Featurette: Honestly, the behind-the-scenes footage of Uwe Boll on set is often more entertaining than the movie itself. It gives you a real look at how independent schlock-horror gets made.
- Double Feature it with Blubberella: Seeing the exact same sets used for a parody at the same time is a masterclass in "efficient" filmmaking.
- Check out the Terminal Cut of the games: If the movie leaves a bad taste in your mouth, go back to the 2020 remastered versions of the games on PC. That’s where the character actually shines.
- Lower your expectations: This isn't Inglourious Basterds with fangs. It's a 79-minute sprint through the woods of Croatia.
Don't expect a deep character arc for Rayne. She's there to wear leather, swing blades, and look cool while the world burns. Sometimes, that's all a Friday night needs.