BAM! Nonstop energy, impressive photography, brilliant film!

Rating: 10/10 (23 March 2002)

To be fair, I am posting this review AFTER my review of the sequel. Why? The sequel sucks for very specific reasons, plot elements and devices present in this film are sorely missed in the sequel.
This film exists solidly on the "serious" side of vampire flicks - "Dracula", "Shadow of the Vampire" and "Interview with a Vampire" - not the campy cheesy schlock of "John Carpenter's Vampires". Why? It makes vampires seem very real, as opposed to the pure shlock of evil undead coming "to get you" - ala "Evil Dead 2" (without the satire).

The film starts with a dramatic introduction to the world of the vampires, from a very personal angle. The energy is built in the intro, and carried to the hilt by superb physical acting by Snipes, with outstanding action sequences that are unequalled in Western cinema. The main characters are very strong, very distinct, and very realistic. Even though all of them could of been torn from a comic book, this film's photography and sound editing put you right there in the middle of it all. Unique set design and shooting locations also give this film an eerie "every city" feel - beating "The Matrix" to the punch by as much as a year.
Stephen Dorff shines as a villian, and is so good at being bad you'd think he was the protaganist (there are many other reasons to see that as well). While some critics can't get past the gratitious violence and well, gallons of blood, open minded viewers may see the bigger message in this film. Tucked neatly into the subplots are a good protrayal of a gen-x class struggle, led by Dorff's character.
This film's greatest strength is the plot. Make no mistake: this is not average 80 IQ plot here. This is pure neoclassicalism. If you don't see it, you're missing the point of this film. The sequel has no plot - the lead character is just moving through a series of action sequences to get "the bad guy". In this film, Blade struggles with personal identity, family, love and love lost - and a plot development that is a real double whammy.
I really can't say enough good things about this film. The costumes and set design set the scene; the indulgences of wealth and power. The photography immerses the viewer combined with a perfect soundtrack and choreography. Fantastic casting and unbelievable direction make this film a winner.
If you like pure slasher fare, this film will entertain - but if you want some serious backstory, plot & character development added to your violence (like "The Matrix") look no further - and skip the pedestrian sequel.