A very warped, and deranged re-telling of our U.S. History

Rating: 6/10 (30 June 2012)

An interesting conception; however, not without it's faults. This movie is part History Channel, part Vampire flick, part "Matrix" meets "Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; and definitely worth the price of admission.
The story tells the tale of how a young Abraham Lincoln, lost his mother to a vengeful act of retribution from a vampire slave owner. Bound and determined to settle of score of his mother's death, Abraham inadvertently uncovers the secret world of vampires living amongst the human populace of 1861. Henry seeks solace and training from a fellow vampire hunter, Henry Sturgesss, played wonderfully by Dominic Cooper.
It seems that with every reincarnation of a new vampire film, Hollywood can take liberties with what a vampire can and cannot do; and this film is no different. In this film, Vampire can exist in daylight; have the ability to disappear from sight, and can only be killed with silver (and not a wooden stake to the heart). However, once converted into a vampire, you cannot take the life of another vampire; only the living can kill a vampire.
I have to admit that I did enjoy the fact that the film was set in 1861-66; the cinematography was an enhancement to the film's noir and mystique. Benjamin Walker made a wonderful ax-wielding 16th president; and once the beard was added, he was the spitting image of Honest Abe.
The film opens and closes with the following passage: "History prefers legends, to men. It prefers nobility, to brutality. Soaring speeches, to quiet deeds. History remembers the battle, but forgets the blood. However history remembers me - - before I was a president - it shall only remember a fraction of the truth." This is to ensure to the audience, that the fact that you are about to witness are true and factual; however, "We, the people of the United States", have elected to only concentrate on Abe Lincoln's Presidential feats, and not the fact that the Confederacy had teamed up with the Vampire factions in order to save their food supply.
A very warped, and deranged re-telling of our U.S. History; however, a quite original reinterpretation as well. Definitely not for everyone; however, if watched with an opened mind, it will be much more enjoyable. A half-hearted recommendation. So enjoy this film with slight reservations, and remember to always have a contingency plan!!!!! SEE MORE OF MY REVIEWS ON FB @ "THE FARIS REEL"