Martial Arts + Swordplay + Gunplay = Solid Sequel

Rating: 8/10 (23 March 2002)

Just a quick note here: I am a cheeseball.
I dig Blade, and not just because he drives a mean-as-hell primer black Charger (for that, I *love* him ).
Back in '98, I remember wondering if the first movie "Blade" was going to be as dull as "Money Train" or "Drop Zone" -- but hey, he drove a cool car, so it can't be all bad, right? Well, watching it I was pleasantly surprised to find myself guiltily enjoying it, rap music and all (and let me tell ya, I *despise* rap music).
Fast forward four years later and I'm watching previews to "Blade 2". I'm looking at the absolute over-the-top stunts, vampires in body armor, and bad bad-ass puns being dropped, and I'm thinking to myself, "Heh, I bet this will suck worse than 'Highlander 2'". But hey, he's still got that bad-ass black B-body Mopar, right? How bad can it be?
Well, let me just say that I am extraordinarily surprised and pleased to report that "Blade 2", while graphic and at times gory, is a great thrill ride -- just flat-out fun. Snipes shows he's still got the moves (man, does that guy even have a stunt double?), and the director Guillermo del Toro raised himself in my eyes after directing the somewhat predictable movie "Mimic".
The fight scenes are not only fast, sharp displays of martial mastery and acrobatic artistry, but there are a *lot* of 'em. There's plenty of gunplay, swordplay, with extra helpings of fist- and foot-play, too. Capping off all of this excellent Eastern fighting fu is a bit of the egregious West that caused the audience that I was with to bust out and cheer (and I clapped with them -- damn me to redneck hell!).
While weak plot-twists do funk up the pacing a little bit, the cast soldiers on through with straight faces -- but let's be frank here: this is not Saving Private Ryan. If you want Academy-level performances and story, go check out E.T., it opened this weekend also.
If, however, you want some *serious* don't-mess-with-me vibe to go with your put-a-boot-in-someone's-ass appetite, I can't think of another movie out anytime soon that will come close to satiating your thirst, as it were.
Blade is a baaad, bad man...

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