Bladexploitation?

Rating: Null/10 (11 January 2005)

Anyone notice this fine Vampire Action Flick has a heavy slice of Blaxploitation mixed into it? This could be due to the adaptation of a Marvel Comic Character from the 70's, when Afros, Leather, Bell Bottoms and Bad Muthers were everywhere.
Of course, in today's PC climate, I am sure the film makers wanted to be true to Bade's roots (no pun intended) or had a dose of Post-Modern irony in the production of the movie. I am talking more about the clothing, cars and attitude than the fine performances from the two lead actors Wesley Snipes and N'Bushe Wright.
Blaxploitation films really took black culture and sold (exploited) it to a mainstream audience, but Blade works as a great horror action flick in it's own right, rather than needing to exploit any particular culture. However.. I think it still owes a debt, in tone, to the likes of Shaft, Action Jackson, Coffy, etc. Bad-Ass dude in leather clothing with bitchin' weapons and cool one-liners - all that was missing was the Isaak Hayes Soundtrack ("ain't talking about Blade..") and a Pimp in Flares that could double as Bay Window Curtains.
Anyway. Blaxploitation Cinema has influenced a ton of movies over the years - directly with the likes of Jackie Brown, spoofed by Goldmember and Uncover Brother. It is also recognised as an influential period of film making, now given a higher cultural status than it's low budget grass-roots origins. So, nothing wrong with Blade laying down a slice of this in it's production.