New Line Cinema, Rated R
Directed by Stephen Norrington
Written by David S. Goyer

Thanks to Batman & Robin, comic book movies haven't exactly had a good reputation lately. The terribly-paced, confusing Spawn didn't exactly help matters (and I swear some of those special effects were only halfway done). Then along came Steel which, though somewhat true to the original story, had horrendous acting, and the comic book movie was this close to being pronounced dead (especially since so few people know that the delightful Men in Black is a comic book movie as well). The first real comic book film this year is Blade, and the odds have been stacked against it. Not only are comic book movies hitting hard times, the movie has Wesley Snipes, whose career is on the way down, and is released in late August, usually a pretty bad sign. Finally, the movie is based on a Marvel Comics book, and though Marvel is the # 1 comics publisher in the country, its transition to film has been anything but smooth. The direct-to-video Captain America is, hands down, the worst superhero movie ever made. Slightly better is Roger Corman's Fantastic Four, which was considered so bad that it never officially saw the light of day in theatres or on video. So you can realize why I expected a turkey when I went to see Blade. Boy, am I glad I was wrong.
The film, about a vampire hunter named, you guessed it, Blade (Snipes), captures the storytelling style, pacing, and look of a comic book beautifully. It's a prerequisite that you understand that this is a comic book movie or else you just won't get it (those I know who were unaware of this fact really didn't). Blade's mother was bitten by a vampire and he has lived his life as a half-vampire, fighting that side of him by taking a serum that helps calm his thirst for blood. He seeks out his revenge by trying to rid the earth of vampires, who apparently can be your best friend or your next-door neighbor, they're so prevalent. It is also alluded to about how they own stock in many big companies, but little of this is actually shown. These powerful vampires, however, are aging, and a new generation, led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff, overacting a tad, but hey, that's what this genre is about) seek to take control, and rid the world of humans (the plot's biggest problem, because without humans, they'd die too). The idea of the new vampires looking like heroin-chic Calvin Klein models is brilliant. The opening sequence, I've heard, shows them in a club, luring humans to their death, and is one of the best sequences of the year, but unfortunately I arrived too late for it, so I hope to catch it again. The fact that I still liked it without the opening sequence shows just how great it is. What it lacks in plot, Blade makes up for in visuals and then some. A sequence at a subway station (which thankfully, I did catch) is one of many feasts for the eyes. The cinematography, which at times shows a vampire's point of view, is second only to Dark City in being the most captivating of the year. Kris Kristofferson is also here, as Blade's mentor, and this can easily be called his most likable performance in years. Blade has also done a rare thing, stay on top for 2 straight weeks in the box office, which means quite a few are seeing it a second time, quite a testament to its greatness. The plot and almost ridiculous ending aside, Blade shows that the comic book movie's days are far from over, and if it's breathed new life into the genre, all the better. ***