Almost elegiac

Rating: 7/10 (24 February 2011)

I could never get on with Anne Rice's novels, but I quite enjoyed this film adaptation. It takes a leisurely approach towards relating the events of Louis (Brad Pitt)'s life (or, rather, un-life) from the time he is vampirised in 1800s Lousiana to the present day, as related to scribe Christian Bale.
Central to this is Lestat (Tom Cruise) the louche vampire who sets Louis on his path, and pops up from time to time over the years. Tom Cruise's casting, so far out of type, was a sensation at the time, but he is very good. However, he is not the only one - Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea and, especially, 11 year old Kirsten Dunst in her breakthrough role are all excellent, too.
There is sufficient horror for horror fans, but this is essentially a character piece. The plot is a straightforward linear narrative, simply recounting the episodes in Louis' life. The film is handsomely mounted with some well-staged set pieces but comes perilously close to outstaying its welcome - perhaps it is slightly more leisurely than it needs to be.