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Blood Father is a 2016 English-language French Action film crime thriller film directed by Jean-François Richet, written by Peter Craig based on his novel of the same name, and starring Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna, Michael Parks, and William H. Macy. The film had its world premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2016 and was released on 12 August 2016 by Lionsgate Premiere.
One night, members of Jonah's gang come to John's house. After failing to force their way in, they open fire on the house and ram it with their SUV. Kirby, John's neighbor and sponsor, confronts the attackers with the help of the other nearby residents, and the gang retreats. Reasoning that giving Lydia up to the police will put her in danger, John flees with her. Lydia tells John about her life after running away from home and about Jonah, who turns out to be a well-connected member of a Mexican drug cartel. The two rest at a motel, where Lydia learns they have been linked to the tenants' deaths. They narrowly escape the police and a sicario (hitman) sent by the cartel.
John attempts to request a favor from his former mentor and friend, Preacher, who makes a living by collecting and selling war memorabilia. Preacher agrees to help but changes his mind after learning of the reward for turning in Lydia. John overpowers Preacher and his wife, and escapes with Lydia on a Softail motorcycle. They are pursued by two of Preacher's men, who are both killed in the chase.
John travels to a prison where he meets Arturo, his former cellmate, to ask about Jonah's connections. He learns that Jonah himself stole the money from his cartel, blamed the tenants, and then murdered them to cover his tracks. At the motel alone, Lydia receives a call from Kirby, who says she is in danger and advises her to head to a crowded public place, like a theater. At the cinema, Lydia is confronted by Jonah, who had survived his injury and who, with help from his gang, abducts her. After leaving the prison, John calls Kirby, but Jonah answers the phone, reveals that he has captured Kirby, and kills him. John warns Jonah against harming Lydia, citing his knowledge of Jonah's connections and bad standing with his family. John offers up his life for his daughter, and Jonah arranges to meet at a secluded spot in the desert.
John goes back to Preacher's place, and picks up a landmine and some and kills Preacher. He arrives at the meeting spot, and improvises a booby trap with his bike and the landmine. Jonah's men tie John up and put him in a car. As they prepare to leave, two of Jonah's men are killed by the trap. John kills the gang member inside the vehicle, but Jonah escapes. The sicario, having taken position at a vantage point, wounds John. Taking cover behind a car, John forces the sicario to get closer, and the two fatally shoot each other.
John dies after telling his daughter she is a good girl. Jonah is arrested and incarcerated. While sitting down at a table, he's met by a visibly hostile gang led by Arturo, who smiles knowingly, implying that Jonah will be killed. One year later, in a support group, Lydia reveals that she has been Sobriety for a year and expresses gratitude for her father.
On 5 May, it was announced that Wild Bunch had come aboard to distribute the film worldwide. On 6 June, Richard Cabral joined the film to play Joker, a tough enforcer for the Mexican Mafia. On 14 June, William H. Macy tweeted that he would be starring alongside Gibson in the film.
On 17 June, Elisabeth Röhm signed on to star in the film as Gibson's estranged wife, but her role was cut from the final film.
Owen Glierberman of Variety wrote: " Blood Father is trash, but it does capture what an accomplished and winning actor Mel Gibson can be", and that the film "gives him the chance to show that he's still got it." Manohla Dargis of The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Gibson makes a persuasive derelict John Wayne with a loose, energetic performance, finely tuned comic timing and an amused, self-aware “Lethal Weapon” glint."
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