A vampire flick that works!

Rating: 8/10 (25 March 2007)

To put it bluntly, Blade is a very entertaining movie, that never goes down in gear. It feels like a 90 minute roller coaster ride, and there's plenty of loops, believe me. The movie takes a lot of otherwise unrelated elements, such as Vampirism, Martial Arts, Techno, and mixes it perfectly. The opening scene is a great example of this blend, and is something that you've probably not seen anywhere before! The combat scenes are wonderfully choreographed, and the Techno beats suits the style perfectly, making it a very heart-pounding experience.
The acting is also surprisingly good, especially Wesley Snipes as Blade. He doesn't overdo his character, and he doesn't need to, because just his pure physical presence suits his character perfectly. He doesn't have to many lines to juggle with either, but he manages to pull his few quotes off quite admirably. The saying that looks can explain more than words especially works in Snipes favor this time, and he does a great job of keeping his character believable. Stephen Dorff also does a good job of playing a down-and-dirty villain, and his tone is just perfect for Deacon Frost. He's a stereo-typical madman, who's attitude almost is a complete opposite of Blade's silent nature. Even Kris Kristofferson manages to pull it of quite nicely, and (unless you're heart is made of stone), you can't help but feel a little sad about his condition after Frost's visit. It's been a while since i've seen him act great, so it was a nice surprise.
The only thing that fails in Blade is the story. It has some really good potential, but ultimately throws it all away in the ending, which is one the most cheesy and uninspired endings of all time. The pacing in the ending just seems a little too bumpy to make the final clash between Blade and Frost feel climactic, and although there is a little twist in the ending, it's nothing that will leave you in awe, and (in my opinion) doesn't contribute a hole lot to the story's unfolding.
All in all a very entertaining movie, with a lot of cool and memorable scenes, some nice fights, and even some good acting. Unfortunately the story doesn't quite compare to the rest of the film, which is sad, because it had so much potential to be better. But hey, let's face it! The story isn't the most important piece in a horror/action movie, so it's gonna be a 8/10 this time.