Blade

Having recently watched Blade 2, I can't resist the comparison. While the sequel is mainly non-stop carnage, this one offers more: an interesting story, a strong atmosphere, a charismatic villain and moments that stick in the memory. For example, the opening dance party scene with the blood shower to the sounds of New Order is unforgettable. And a clear standout is the intriguing character of Blade's main antagonist. Stephen Dorff is so subtle that he looks like a ten-year-old girl could beat him up, but he commands such respect that it is clear he is not to be trifled with. Compared to the second one, there is less carnage, but as the famous saying goes, sometimes less is more. (15/07/2002)

Blade would like to be a terribly cool movie full of cool lines, cool action and... and everything about it terribly cool. But it isn’t. It's just an average B-movie which doesn't want to admit it and pretends to be something more than it is. On the other hand, it speeds by nicely and there are some great scenes. Definitely a tolerable B-movie. (29/06/2007)

I really like movies about toothy uncles who drink the blood of white virgins. Whether it is the black-and-white and silent (yet so suggestive) gems, to newer color compliments of history (Coppola's Dracula opus, Herzog's remake of Nosferatu). However, Blade is nothing more than a fast-paced action shooter that wants to look modern. Unfortunately, it is only stupid. Even Underworld, with its relatively vague connection to the world of “Vampire: The Masquerade", feels like a finished gem with an atmosphere and hints of logic. Blade is an illogical slag, which turns vampires into a bunch of mongoloid old uncles on the one side and stoned techno party participants on the other. The complete absence of any drama and mysticism is supposed to be replaced by the supernatural musculature of Wesley Snipes, who is a vampire, but still a human... But what can an actor who shows nothing but convulsive anger save? What can be saved in a film that is dominated by such a sparse script? Logic is a bad word in Blade's world, but it's an action, blockbuster and popcorn film. However, this does not excuse Stephen Norrington's B-movie and confusing direction, absolutely zero tension and no invention. And do you know what happens when a black vampire meets an untalented director and together they form a blatant mess that has no idea what it wants to be? Yes. This is a Boo! And the fact that I really like vampire movies just crowns this film with a manure wreath. (11/06/2006)

What you can appreciate about the Blade trilogy is that it's one of the pioneering Marvel films, with the first episode being made before the first big X-Men movies. However, the film itself is essentially just material for Wesley Snipes and is no better than Barb Wire with Pamela Anderson. I never planned to finish watching the other films, let alone any series. (07/02/2009)

With the passage of time, it's not nearly the same. Technically, the film is quite inconsistent, the scenes are sometimes half-hearted, and only the creatively dynamic execution, several high-quality action scenes, and the two protagonists save the honor. The second one is much more lively and enduring. It's noticeable that Stephen Norrington is not a top-notch director and that there were budget constraints. It's a quality B-movie, but it can't be compared to the brutal nature of the second one. And this is true even though the plot is slightly denser here. (07/05/2005)