The First in the Superhero Renaissance

Rating: 8/10 (23 May 2011)

Blade was the first of the modern wave of truly serious superhero movies, and it establishes much of what would follow. Gone are the outrageous vehicles, overly silly enemies, and alternate universe where time seems stuck in one decade. This movie was one of the very first to show what it would be like for an extraordinary person to appear in an ordinary, modern day world.
For a character so obscure, Blade is handled very well in the film. Let's face it, before the movie he was more known for being a recurring character on the 90s Spider-Man cartoon. But afterward he skyrocketed almost to the top. Not quite X-Men or Captain America popular, but he became recognizable to non-comic book geeks.
The story is good, it isn't just another standard superhero origin movie. It's handled like Tim Burton's Batman, he's already out there and fighting. The origin is just a brief explanation for the newcomer. I really would like more superhero movies to follow that model since it does work and gets the hero into the action sooner. There's the right blend of action, horror, suspense, and humor to keep audiences entertained throughout.
Wesley Snipes does a terrific job. He seems to fit the role perfectly. Snipes handles both the fights and exposition well. He also has that Arnold Schwarzenegger/Harrison Ford style "serious comedy" delivery where he says funny lines but doesn't come off as a comedian. Now I find myself reading Blade and only thinking of his voice.
Stephen Dorff is also amazing as Deacon Frost. He's the only one able to move the spotlight away from Snipes. His delivery makes for one terrific villain, though his character doesn't have the pathos many other villains have. I remember him more for his sadistic acts, but not particularly as to why. Still, sometimes a villain without a specific reason is more frightening.
The other actors are also good, though most are overshadowed by Snipes and Dorff. Kristofferson's Whistler has a great relationship with Blade. Their final scene is really great, though makes me wish the series had a stronger sense of continuity with Whistler. N'Bushe Wright is good, though not particularly memorable. Donal Logue is great as the comic foil and I wish he would do more than just be the comedic relief in the occasional superhero movie.
The action is the real stand-out. No stuntman in the Batsuit fighting in the shadows ten feet away. Snipes is in there doing the work. It moves fast but is never confusing. There's a real sense that they are going somewhere with it, not just trying to show random cool scenes.
The only real problem with the movie is the ending. It's still exciting like the rest of the movie, but a little sloppy. That's because the producers made one ending that no one liked. So they quickly made another using many of the same ideas. The one they have works fine. But if they had known from the beginning, it would have flowed together better.
The CGI is also noticeably dated and takes you out of the movie. Luckily they don't use much of it and rely more on superior practical effects.
The best part is that the movie revitalized the superhero genre. Before this, there was Superman and Batman. Superman hadn't seen the screen in ten years (longer if you look at an actually good movie) and Batman & Robin had nearly killed the genre off just the year before. But notice how afterwards there has been at least one superhero a year, and now several a year. Marvel used their minor character to open the floodgates for everyone. Sure, subsequent movies have had their ups and downs. But generally speaking the quality of superhero movies has been quit good. No more nipple suits or Richard Pryor built computers.
The movie's exciting action sequences and exploration of vampire lore keep this an entertaining flick. Though Blade still may not be the comic book character to read, the movie is still entertaining enough on its own merits to keep it around. And at the very least it will stand as a marker for the following renaissance of comic book movies.