Slingblade this ain't!

Rating: Null/10 (5 June 2003)

Spoilers, perhaps? Wesley Snipes stars as Blade, a modern-day vampire hunter pulled from the pages of Marvel Comics' '70s schlock-o-rama title, `Tomb Of Dracula.' He doesn't have the afro, the goggles or the orange trenchcoat, but nonetheless Snipes' version would kick the s**t out of the Marvel character! Because Blade is a baaad man - a seemingly immortal killing machine who possesses the superhuman strength and evil cunning of a vampire but none of their weaknesses (daylight, garlic, etc.). Born a `daywalker,' he relies on his blood-cursed heritage to understand and conquer the undead enemy. From the opening scene, a bloodbath of epic proportions, viewers know this film is the real deal - no pulling punches here. Built around countless action scenes, it employs amazing effects, plenty of video-game carnage, sensational camera angles, bizarre sets and excellent fight scenes. But, as usual, it's got a pretty archetypal action/sci-fi storyline: Blade and Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), in the middle of a bloody crusade of vampire-vanquishing, unearth a diabolical plot hatched by their preeminent adversary, the vampire overlord Deacon Frost (an overacting Stephen Dorff). Using the different vampire keys, Frost tries to seize control of the House of Erebus, become Bloodlord and reign over all vampires to suppress humanity in a bloodsucking Armageddon. And kudos to the final confrontation between Blade and Frost in the illusory vampire mosque - someone actually dies without coming back six or seven times (just like the old kung-fu movie showdowns)! N'Bushe Wright (Dead Presidents) plays Karen, a blood specialist who doesn't really do much in the film but follow Blade around and solicit the plot of the movie, and Traci Lords plays Racquel, a pretty vampire seen only in the opening sequence - two needless characters. With the aforementioned opening scene and characters like Pearl, `Blade' rises above the other sci-fi induced comic-book movies (like `The X-Men' or `Daredevil') as pure fun and eye-popping entertainment. It's nice to see a company like New Line Cinema; one with the balls to make rough and tumble films like `Last Man Standing,' `Rumble In the Bronx,' `Boogie Nights,' `Dark City' and `Spawn.'