Derivative, yet exactly what I wanted to see

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2004)

Sure, this movie is visually very dark, there is a lot of mumbled dialogue, there is some stilted acting and some gore. Derivative? Sure. It combines elements of The Crow, Blade, The Matrix, Anime, Interview with the Vampire, Queen of the Damned and Equilibrium. Some people have some problems with Vampires and Lycans (werewolves) using guns and cell phones and cameras etc etc. After seeing this movie again on DVD (bought it the day it came out) I gotta say this movie is fast becoming one of my more favorite movies. Sure the romance angle is not really realized on screen. That's the same thing I could say about Star Wars Ep II. So what? I don't go to a movie to see romance or exposition or crying or self-actualization or anything so blaise or cliched. No no no. I go to see costuming, set design, effects and direction. This movie delivers that in spades. The costuming, set design and production values alone make this a pretty cool movie. A little tip - try watching this movie with the subtitling on. There were lots of things that I missed in the movie due to some dialogue being difficult to hear. As for thie movie being derivative, c'mon people. It's NOT POSSIBLE to make an original vampire movie. It's been done to death. Besides the best vampire movie of all time is the so bad it's freakin cool LIFEFORCE. lol. That movie rocks. This movie is like watching a graphic novel on screen. Exactly what I wanted to see and I liked this a whole lot better than some far more expensively produced drivel like DAREDEVIL or THE HULK. This is a very slick, dark fantasy. My biggest complaint is that the WAYCOOL song used in the TV spots wasnt on the Soundtrack - Red Tape by Agent Provoceteur. I'll be in line to see Underworld 2.