Blade II - A Review 05/05/2002
This is coming out a bit late, so it won't be as detailed as other, earlier reviews.
Let's be clear here. It's a movie made from a comic book character, okay? It's supposed to be over-the-top, and over-the-top it is in several spots. You want violence? You've got violence. You want gore? You've got gore. You want kung-fu? Man, you've got kung-fu all over the place. This movie is exactly what it's billed as - a badass whupin' on some vampire butt. Park your disbelief at the door and enjoy it for what it is.
The premise is: Blade is now working in Central Europe with a young sidekick. He's looking for Whisper, after finding out that he really didn't die. The vampires have been keeping Whisper a prisoner. Throw into that mix, the fact that there is a new creature around called a "reaper" which feeds on vampires. It is so violent, and reproduces so fast, that the vampires are forced to ask Blade to help them hunt the reapers down and kill them.
The entire film is shot in the dark. There are no bright sunny open shots. The shadow detail was excellent in most spots, but a couple were black fields with a face or object in the middle. Deliberate? Dunno. Once this film hits DVD, it's going to be a serious test disk for discerning dark detail! The surrounds are used a lot, as you'd expect for an uber-action film like this. Swords swishing, guns firing, bombs exploding, it's all there for your listening pleasure.
Wesley Snipes will never be confused with Sir Lawrence Olivier, but his dialog in this is almost monosyllibic. Ron Perlman is a pleasant surprise as one of the vampire kill team, and what can I say, I like Kris Kristopherson. The action/fight sequences - okay, the movie is one LONG action sequence - are well choreographed. The plot is straightforward with a couple of small surprises one, a betrayal that is broadcast in the first 20 minutes thrown in. Special effect run the gamut from excellent (reaper facials and vampire deaths) to average (on some of the creature movement spots).
I didn't like this one as much as the first. The dialog seemed forced at times and the chemistry between the various characters and factions (good or bad) didn't pull me into the story. If you like a fast, furious action/martial arts/horror flick, give it a look, but only at matinee pricing.
The first Blade rated :4: but the sequel only gets a :3: out of :5:.
David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker
This is coming out a bit late, so it won't be as detailed as other, earlier reviews.
Let's be clear here. It's a movie made from a comic book character, okay? It's supposed to be over-the-top, and over-the-top it is in several spots. You want violence? You've got violence. You want gore? You've got gore. You want kung-fu? Man, you've got kung-fu all over the place. This movie is exactly what it's billed as - a badass whupin' on some vampire butt. Park your disbelief at the door and enjoy it for what it is.
The premise is: Blade is now working in Central Europe with a young sidekick. He's looking for Whisper, after finding out that he really didn't die. The vampires have been keeping Whisper a prisoner. Throw into that mix, the fact that there is a new creature around called a "reaper" which feeds on vampires. It is so violent, and reproduces so fast, that the vampires are forced to ask Blade to help them hunt the reapers down and kill them.
The entire film is shot in the dark. There are no bright sunny open shots. The shadow detail was excellent in most spots, but a couple were black fields with a face or object in the middle. Deliberate? Dunno. Once this film hits DVD, it's going to be a serious test disk for discerning dark detail! The surrounds are used a lot, as you'd expect for an uber-action film like this. Swords swishing, guns firing, bombs exploding, it's all there for your listening pleasure.
Wesley Snipes will never be confused with Sir Lawrence Olivier, but his dialog in this is almost monosyllibic. Ron Perlman is a pleasant surprise as one of the vampire kill team, and what can I say, I like Kris Kristopherson. The action/fight sequences - okay, the movie is one LONG action sequence - are well choreographed. The plot is straightforward with a couple of small surprises one, a betrayal that is broadcast in the first 20 minutes thrown in. Special effect run the gamut from excellent (reaper facials and vampire deaths) to average (on some of the creature movement spots).
I didn't like this one as much as the first. The dialog seemed forced at times and the chemistry between the various characters and factions (good or bad) didn't pull me into the story. If you like a fast, furious action/martial arts/horror flick, give it a look, but only at matinee pricing.
The first Blade rated :4: but the sequel only gets a :3: out of :5:.
David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker
Okay, I did say a little more in the "blacked out" portion of my post.
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