Solid Horror Film

Rating: 7/10 (5 April 2002)

Wesley Snipes is back in the role of the title character, in this offering that leans decidedly more toward the Wes Craven horror/action side of the genre than to Anne Rice gothic, and be advised that there is enough blood-letting and gore on hand to appease even the most insatiable viewer, in `Blade II,' directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Half human, half vampire, Blade has all of the powers of the vampire, but none of the weaknesses; he is called `Daywalker' by his sworn enemies, the vampires he has vowed to destroy, because of his ability to move about unimpaired in the light of day. And, knowing his mission, the vampires have formed and trained a special unit, the `Bloodpack,' whose sole purpose is to hunt Blade down and eliminate him, before he can get to them.

But the story begins with an unusual twist: Instead of hunting Blade down to kill him, the vampire `Shadow Council' reaches out to him with the offer of an alliance; in fact, they want him to lead the Bloodpack against a new enemy, one who threatens to wipe out the living and the undead alike, if allowed to proliferate. They are mutant vampires known as `Reapers,' a new breed with a thirst for blood that is unquenchable. Initially, Blade demurs, until the vampires provide him with proof of what the Reapers can do.
Before he will begin, however, Blade first secures the aid of an ally and weapons expert named Scud (Norman Reedus), then insists on tracking down his old friend Whistler (Kris Kristoffererson), whom he has not seen for some time, and fears has been `turned' by the vampires. And when that is accomplished, and once the entire team is in place, Blade and the Bloodpack begin their nocturnal hunt for the Reapers.
Del Toro has crafted and delivered a movie that is pure action and entertainment, geared to those whose appetites run especially toward the blunt, hard-edged and graphic. And once it begins, the blood flows freely (including a vat of the stuff); rest assured, all who enter here will have their thirsts quenched. Del Toro presents the story itself in a fairly straightforward manner, offers a couple of twists and has enough threads going to successfully hold it all together within the framework of the action. Most importantly, he provides the kind of thrills that get the blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing, and the F/X are first rate (get ready for a rush when one of the Reapers opens his mouth and zeros in on the throat of a victim).
For a film like this to work, it is dependent on the ability of the audience to suspend disbelief and be able to immerse themselves in the story, and to do that, the protagonist must at least be a credible character. And that's what Wesley Snipes gives you as Blade. He's got the moves and the look, and he makes it convincing to a degree that enables you to go with the flow without having to think too much about the whys and the wherefores of it all. This is pure escapist fare, and Snipes provides exactly the kind of character it needs to be successful.

The supporting cast includes Ron Perlman (Rienhardt), Luke Goss (Nomak), Leonor Varela (Nyssa), Matt Schulze (Chupa), Danny John-Jules (Asad), Donnie Yen (Snowman), Daz Crawford (Lighthammer), Rey-Phillip Santos (Red Eye/Reaper), Thomas Kretschmann (Pox) Tony Curran (Priest), Pete Lee-Wilson (Blood Bank Doctor) and Marit Velle Kile (Verlaine). In the end, what you see is what you get, and what you get is very likely to be exactly what you expected from `Blade II,' which is plenty of blood-drenched action wrapped around a story soaked with intrigue, betrayal and things that go bump (in a BIG way) in that long, eternal night of the undead. It's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 7/10.