Blade (Wesley Snipes), the half-vampire/half-human vampire hunter, takes a break from staking when he accepts a truce from the Vampire Nation. It seems there’s an anomaly causing the bloodsuckers to mutate into drooling Venus-flytrap-faced lunatics that are deadly to the un-mutated. Along with his human associates Scud (Norman Reedus) and Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), who magically returns from the dead, Blade reluctantly joins forces with a crack team of vampires.
I first saw Blade II in the theatre only because my boyfriend at the time dragged me. I found it boring at the time. On my most recent viewing, I liked it more—though I’m biased now, being a fan of director Guillermo del Toro. I also enjoy Ron Perlman, who plays Blade’s grudging ally Reinhardt. While it’s not movie of the year material, there’s plenty to recommend it. It’s not entirely predictable. It’s pretty original for a vampire movie, like Scud’s method of undead surveillance: an alarm system that measures body temperature and thus alive-ness.
I have a small handful of gripes. My biggest complaint is Snipes’s performance—he tends to overdo the cool guy act. I do wonder why Blade is the only human/vampire hybrid. Also, the CGI is laughably bad, even for 2002. It reminds me of the death reenactments on 1000 Ways to Die. However, the stunt-work is impressive, and the fight scenes are well-choreographed (though they get tedious at times when they’re dragged out).
Although Blade has a potential love interest in Nyssa (Leonor Varela) the sexy vampire, I can’t help but feel there are homoerotic undertones throughout the film. For example the relationship between Blade and Whistler, with Blade promising to get him “whatever you need,” and Whistler replying, “I need you!”
I like this movie a little better every time I watch it. Check it out if you’re in the mood for vampires and lots of blood.
GhoulieJoe 