The first of the decent modern vampire movies

Rating: Null/10 (29 June 2004)

SPOILERS
Looking all the way back to the book "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, vampires have been this fairy tale monster which humanity has been fascinated by. Skipping forward to 1922 and the Vampire made it's debut on the big screen in "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens". Since this first film, we've had countless different Hammer Horror films, mostly staring Christopher Lee, until in 1998, the way of the Vampire took a new direction. This direction was of the Vampire in the modern world, and that new film was "Blade".
In "Blade", the world is as it is today. During the day humanity walks around, "like cattle", living their lives. At nighttimes however, there is an alternative nightlife. This life, the modern vampire, feeds off humanity, but tends to keep to itself. There is a link however, between the Vampire and Humanity. That link is a human-vampire hybrid called Blade (Wesley Snipes). Blade's mother was bitten during pregnancy and as a result Blade (also known as Eric Brooks or "The Daywalker") was given the vampire's strength, it's regenerative powers and it's hunger for blood, whilst simultaneously able to walk in the Sun. One other characteristic Blade has picked up from his freak birth is a hatred for Vampires as a species. With this in mind, our hero travels around the world slaughtering vampires and causing chaos in his wake.
OK, from the offset, "Blade" gives the impression that it will be a very cool film. With a nightclub scene and flowing blood, followed by well choreographed violence, this film gets going from the very start. From this point in the film onwards, we are dealt vast quantities of dark, powerful violence which never relents until the very end.
Perhaps inspiring to a small degree the black coats and the style in the following years "The Matrix", this film provides a sense of chic for the viewer. Stephen Dorff in particular as the fabulously evil Deacon Frost shows us how cool and how fashionable the vampire world can be. In fact, combining "Blade", it's more laidback and funny sequel and 2003's "Underworld" into one fashion show would be a great idea, simply since in all three films, I find it hard to think of a young looking vampire who doesn't demonstrate at least some sense of style. By giving this race of creatures an element of the sophisticated, Hollywood has brought them fast and furiously into the twenty-first century.
Finally, if the style of this film is going to be truly praised, as well as the outfits, the breathtaking martial arts choreography has to be mentioned. In the last couple of years, there's no denying that there have been a lot of films with this specialist kind of fighting. Copying primarily from films featuring past masters like the late, great Bruce Lee, this recent idea of films containing complicated, sophisticated fight scenes is truly brilliant. With people like Woo-ping Yuen who choreographed not only "Wo hu cang long" ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") but "The Matrix" and the "Kill Bill" films, cinema has come a long way. Yuen has been involved in film since 1971, but whilst his talents are no doubt legendary in Asia (especially since he was also responsible for "Jui kuen" or "Drunken Master" from 1978), it must only surely be since his more recent works in America that his talents are recognised the world around. In "Blade" amazingly enough, it is not Woo-ping Yuen who does the martial arts choreography, but the man who does just as amazing a job is the star himself, Mr Wesley Snipes. Down as the Martial Arts Choreographer in the credits, Mr Snipes provides a superb job, giving us some beautiful movements in which Blade destroys his opposition with minimal ease.
So to summarise, whilst the notion of the Vampire might not be a new one, it was thanks to films like "Blade" that the creature found a new lease of life. Relocated to the modern age and placed in a sharp, stylish outfit, the vampire moved into the twenty-first century with sophistication. Add to this style, the classic martial arts forms and "Blade" was always going to be a winner. This film is ultimately, just plain cool.