Best action flick of 2002...thus far

Rating: Null/10 (26 March 2002)

Well, damn... Just when I thought 2002 was headed for the turd bowl in the mainstream action-film department, Guillermo Del Toro (director of CRONOS, the DEVIL'S BACKBONE, and THE MIMIC) had to go and bust out an essentially rare item: a sequel that outdoes its predecessor (see Aliens and Evil Dead 2 for further examples). BLADE 2, which essentially picks off where the first one left off, is a hyper kinetic blast of a flick that doesn't stop to breatheand yesthat's a good thing. The original BLADE, albeit a powerful contribution to the action/horror genre in itself, suffered from extensive space between entertainment and the horrifying acting job delivered by N'Bushe Wright (who doesn't come back for the sequel). Its action sequences, however, were top notch, and it's this element that Del Toro has capitalized on. The movie is basically a 2-hour fight session, with guns, spikes, blade-arangs, and kung fu sequences layering every available minute. And I repeat, folkthis is a good thing. As far as plots go, this one lifts off those old G.I. Joe episodes where The Joes had to team up with Cobra to fight a greater menace (Yeahso I'm a geek). After a new brand of vampires, the Reapers (think of a vampire crossed with a crack addict), start attacking vamps and humans alike, the Vampire Nation offers Blade a temporary truce in return for the annihilation of said Reapers. He teams up with the Blood Pack, an elite team of vampire warriors (headed by the beautiful Leonor Varela, and featuring Ron Perlman and Donnie Yena kung-fu badass in his own right) and heads out to kill the b*****ds off. Never mind that, thoughthe movie's main concern is kicking some visual tail, and with the exception of a few clumsy CGI-enhanced fight sequences (the characters seem to turn into cartoons for a split second), Del Toro achieves excellence. With a pleasant blend of humor, horror, and high velocity choreography, BLADE 2 actually deliversa statement that, sadly, cannot be made for the majority of mainstream martial arts-related action flicks that have emerged in recent months (Jet Li's `Kiss of the Dragon', in particular, was a painful disappointment). (MINOR SPOILER ALERT!) Highlights from the flick include an amazing opener, a killer club shoot-out, and the vertical slicing of an entire vampire's body. Those particular sequences, coupled with an excellent climax, make BLADE 2 the first `real' action flick of 2002. Let's hope others prick up their ears and get a clue