Bloody fun!

Rating: 8/10 (21 June 2003)

I wasn't a big fan of the first Blade, so when I caught Blade II on cable, I was really surprised by how enjoyable it was. It was sharp and gross and very, very violent. The Reapers were fantastic, especially the first time one appears - a nice, nasty shock. Anne Rice this ain't, thank God. I really enjoyed the humor, especially between Snipes and the magnificent Ron Perlman (now I REALLY can't wait to see this awesome actor as Hellboy). The Bloodpack was a good bunch of side characters, and the martial arts were a lot of fun. Not the most original story on the planet, but del Toro does an awful lot with what he's been given. This is definitely one of those rare times a sequel renders its predecessor pointless. And not just because Whistler was brought back from the dead. (Yeah, that part was kinda clunky, but having him in the movie was a good idea, because his character is an important one to Blade's story.) In fact, this should've been the only Blade movie ever made; it's dark, entertaining, and an excellent addition to the vampire movie genre. 8 out of 10 stars