My critical review of my Fav movie

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2008)

Since 1976, Anne Rice has kept us wrapped in a world of vampires, and now in 1994 she brings her creations to life. From the director of 'The Crying Game', Neil Jordan, assists Rice as they spin the life story of Louis De Pointe Du Lac, a French-Louisiana aristocrat in the year 1791, his vampire maker and companion Lestat De Lioncourt and their "daughter", a child vampire by the name of Claudia.
The film starts in modern-day San Francisco, where a reporter is seated, talking to a shadowed figure that is standing by the window. The figure, we quickly learn, is Louis De Pointe Du Lac, a 200-year old vampire. Louis wishes to tell the story of his life to the reporter, Daniel Malloy. With Louis' introduction, he begins his tale. Pulling Daniel and us into the decadent world that is Louis' way of life.
Throughout the film we are arrested by an array of stunning sets, beautiful costumes, and ravishing actors. Tom Cruise is Lestat De Lioncourt, a French aristocrat, and an arrogant and ruthless vampire. Brad Pitt embodies the emotional and conflicted Louis, while Kirsten Dunst attacks us with her ability to play a child and then an adult trapped within a child's body as Claudia. Antonio Banderas jumps onto the scene as a vampire coven leader that threatens Claudia's very way of life, whose beauty and youth chill Claudia's already cold heart. And Christian Slater not only plays the role of young Daniel Malloy, but he is also our pathway into this underground world of terror, death and even love.
Brad Pitt brings the emotional Louis to life. Pitt expresses Louis' loves, hatred, and pains perfectly. Louis is a man of gestures more than words, instead of yelling at Lestat that he hates him, he glares at him or gives him a cold look. Pitt perfects all of Louis' traits.
Called the "Brat Prince" and for a good reason. Lestat is a vampire that pretends to be all knowing, when in fact looks more to his creation Louis for answers then explaining things himself. Tom Cruise brings Lestat's superiority to fruition without losing Lestat's inner loathing. Cruise never looses Lestat's arrogant air, even when he's torn between loving and hating Claudia.
The "Demon Child from Hell" is an excellent title for this pint-sized terror. Kirsten Dunst rocks the scene as the child that will never grow up physically, eternally imprisoned. Dunst balances the swirl of girlhood to womanhood, expressing beautifully how Claudia grows from loving Louis and Lestat blindly as her parents, to falling in love with the ever-brooding Louis. Arrogance, Claudia radiates with the same arrogant air that Lestat holds, both using it to pretend that they know more than they truly do. Dunst is not only acceptable, but, like Cruise is perfect as this blonde terror. The vampire "family" could not have been better cast.
Known to fans as the "Botticelli Angel". Armand is an age-old vampire that scares Claudia because even though he is young, he still is older then her. Antonio Banderas personifies the knowledgeable vampire coven leader. Bringing Armand's knowledge and beauty to the forefront of the stage. Armand makes Louis forget about Claudia for the sole reason of knowledge. Armand is the breaking point for Claudia, for even though she hates and fears Lestat, she wishes to have him backtormenting herrather than to have Louis fall in love with Armand and leave her. But, he is no where near the actual age range, for me as a fan of the books,this is completely unacceptable. However, as a whole, I also love the movie.
Interview is essentially a tragic love story, with every character playing a domino-effect role. Not only playing their part, but becoming it; sweeping not only the audience away, but also themselves into the decadent and dangerous world of the vampire and Lestat's "One happy family". This movie is a must see for any Anne Rice fan, or any fan of the vampire occult.