Lock up your daughters, boys and girls, the Dark Knight returns.

Rating: 8/10 (18 October 2009)

Bride Of Frankenstein, Aliens, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, three horror sequels that proudly didn't shame the original film of each respective series. There's others of course, and naturally it's all arguable, but I would vouch for Blade II as being a worthy entry on any greatest horror sequels list any day. Stephen Norrington's original first entry from 1999 is itself vastly undervalued in the action/horror pantheon, such is the case here with this Guillermo Del Toro directed sequel. Guillermo Del Toro raises the bar in comic book-manga-esquire violence, flayed limbs aplenty, gore drenchery unbound, droll gallows humour throughout, expert choreography and all delivered at a break-neck pace by its makers. It's kind of hard to see why the discerning thrill seeking comic book fan hasn't truly embraced the first two Blade movies {a third, fun, but cheesy instalment followed} as bona fide genre highlights.
Joining Snipes {Blade} in this return is Luke Goss, with the former Bros pop star a surprisingly effective performer, Ron Perlman, Danny John Jules, Leonor Varela and the-ahem-returning Kris Kristofferson as Whistler. Screenwriter David S. Goyer is perhaps guilty of underwriting the characters outside of Blade and his new nemesis. Certainly The Bloodpack members are barely given stories worthy of interest. But it's high octane action one is surely looking for in a piece like this?. And we get it, with blood and bells on. Blade II made a worldwide profit of $100,000,000-and rightly so because it deserved that success. Its reputation appears to have dimmed as much as its leading mans star appeal has, but it marked a return to form for its director and it remains a wonderfully exciting and blood letting piece of genre entertainment. 8.5/10