How comics should be brought to the big screen

Rating: 7/10 (17 August 2015)

Blade. Saw this gem of a movie at the theatre and will never forget how it worked on me. Almost everything was done right with this comic adaptation.
The movie generates a sense of reality the whole way, and this is one of the best things a superhero movie can deliver in my honest opinion. Sure, some elements here and there like vampires going to ashes remind you that this is a fantasy, but the story itself remains real most of the time except at the climax which evolves into surreal. Filming was also very well done, avoiding flashy colours, accentuating the feeling of seriousness and reality throughout the city scenes.
Fight choreographies were perfect, delivered fantastically by Snipes. Speed was fast enough to show that unnatural characters are at work here, but still slow and natural enough for our human eye to know what's going on. Wesley Snipes also did not just get fighting right, he also got acting right, delivering a nicely balanced performance. Managed to show that Blade is a tormented guy without going overboard and keeping the movie's focus elsewhere, where we want it to be. And Stephen Dorff did even better with a timeless performance in the role of Deacon Frost­. His character instills fear and doubt in every scene where he shows up despite his smaller stature and business clothing. It all fit together perfectly. Finally, one also needs to mention the successfully designed settings in many scenes, from the Temple of Eternal Light to the skyscraper rooftops to the vampire archives, it's all eye-popping and does not get old even today.
Now, to what was not done right. First, some special effects. The blood ones, especially by the end where Blade explodes a few vampires with blood boiling, look absolutely horrible. The ashes from vampire dying by silver didn't work with me either, although they were not as bad as the blood effects. I also thought N'Bushe Wright wasn't a great cast for Karen, although maybe the role itself wasn't the best part of the movie. All in all, very minor sins compared to the whole achievement.
Before closing, let it be said that Blade showcases some unrestrained violence but where there is no violence or danger, superheroes aren't needed much. This movie understood that most hero stories must be set against a credible evil in order to work, and Blade was a movie made for a mature audience rather than for kids.