The BEST Vampire Film Since "Bram Stoker's Dracula." Tom Cruise At His Malevolent Best. AWESOME CAST.

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2007)

Having not read the novel by Anne Rice, I went into the film only knowing the reviews from the movie. I LOVED it. Tom Cruise, typecast as a pretty boy, plays against type as the villainous, yet still likable, Lestat...and what an extraordinary performance. Brad Pitt, fresh off his debut in "Thelma And Louise," is excellent as Louis. Stephen Rea was pure evil as Santiago. Antonio Banderas provides an excellent counter-part to Lestat and Louis' mentor as Armand, proprietor of Theatre De Vampires. Kirsten Dunst, in one of her first films, is truly angelic as Claudia. Christian Slater, brought in to replace the deceased River Phoenix (who had originally been cast, but died of a drug overdose before his part could be filmed), is credible as The Interviewer. Great film. Tom Cruise steals the movie, though he's on screen for less than half the film's running time. Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea, Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater also carry the film. Well-done period/vampire movie.
SPOILER ALERT! If you don't mind watching vampires biting people's necks, necks being broken, throats slit, bodies cut in half, blood being sucked and brief, but necessary, nudity (when Claudia says, "I want to be just like her" and later in the Theatre De Vampires), this is the movie for you. SPOILERS OVER! More violent than "Bram Stoker's Dracula," but very tame compared to recent films like "Hannibal." Rated PG for vampire violence throughout and brief nudity