Released 1998
Stars Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'bushe Wright, Traci Lords
Directed by Stephen Norrington

With Blade, director Stephen Norrington is wedding two popular subjects: vampires and superheroes. For about one hour, Blade is a source of fast-paced, action-packed entertainment, as we follow the dour superhero from one confrontation to the next. After a while, however, this approach starts to wear thin. By the time the film is well into its second hour, we begin to wonder whether there's ever going to be a variation on the carnage and mayhem. As it turns out, there isn't. The entire movie can be summed up in one sentence: Blade battles vampires.

Visually, Blade is an unqualified triumph. This seems to be a common trait of films based on, inspired by, or influenced by comic books (consider, for example, the likes of Batman, The Crow, and Dark City). In fact, the atmosphere is so well-developed that it's easy to forget how derivative and repetitive the plot is, and to get lost in the dark ominousness of Blade's paranoid, vampire-filled world. Blade is fueled by a kinetic energy, and there are scenes, such as the opening dance club sequence, that function as exotic, erotic assaults on the senses. Ultimately, that all turns out to be a rich icing on a half-baked cake. Blade has the capacity to dazzle, but it also will leave many viewers dissatisfied.

Summary by James Berardinelli