BLADE (1998)
Rating: 3.0 stars (out of 4.0) ******************************** Key to rating system: 2.0 stars - Debatable 2.5 stars - Some people may like it 3.0 stars - I liked it 3.5 stars - I am biased in favor of the movie 4.0 stars - I felt the movie's impact personally or it stood out ********************************* A Movie Review by David Sunga
Directed by: Stephen Norrington
Written by: David S. Goyer
Ingredients: Vampire society and culture, a half-vampire hero who hunts vampires, martial arts
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright
Synopsis: Accepted by neither vampires nor humans, Eric (Wesley Snipes) is a half-vampire, born of a human mother who was killed by vampires. He has the strength of a vampire but the mortality and daylight immunity of a human. Rejecting his vampire heritage, Eric now goes by the name of Blade. He survives on serum rather than blood, and hunts vampires for vengeance, using martial arts skills honed by years of training under the tutelage of a friend named Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Blade slays vampires because he's hoping to find the vampire who killed his mother.
In BLADE, Blade makes a moral decision. He saves a hematologist named Karen (N'Bushe Wright) against his better judgement. She has been bitten by a vampire, and has only days to cure herself, before turning into a vampire.
Meanwhile, Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), a megalomaniacal vampire with minions of thugs, plots to capture Blade and use Blade in an evil occult ceremony that will increase Frost's powers.
Opinion: The visual artistry and choreography of BLADE, highlighted by excellent color and camerawork, is superb. BLADE showcases the Filipino fighting arts (Kali/Arnis/Escrima). The character Blade keeps his stances deep, as in karate, begins his sword battles with a two-hand kendo grip, and then switches to a Filipino stick fighting style as the fighting gets thick. He also uses the occasional wrist throw or the handstand kick (found in Brazilian Capoeira). Snipes does his own combat stuntwork, and possesses a fast-paced eclectic fighting style. His familiarity with martial arts and his emotional intensity as an actor make Snipes perfect as Blade.
In BLADE all of the main characters are emotionally intriguing, whether it is Blade (the vampire hunter who loathes himself for being part vampire), Karen (the hematologist who learns that she doesn't have long to live), or Whistler (Blade's human mentor). Even bad guy Frost is more than just a cardboard cartoon: within the strict vampire society power structure, he's fomenting a revolution against the older traditionalist clans.
One main strength of the movie is its excellent re-interpretation of vampire society and mythology. The characters act the way they do because they live in a interesting world. In the BLADE universe a powerful international vampire society lives quietly and secretly among oblivious humans. Mafia-style vampire clans are ruled in a hereditary manner, consisting of born vampires who follow traditional ways. A faction rebelling against the ancient order consists of non-hereditary vampires: bloodsucking bite victims who have survived, who are more attuned to human ways (dance clubs, etc.), and technology. There are also fanatical human cultists called "familiars." Secret power struggles and cultural revelations (clan tattoos, hieroglyphics, etc.) make the complete vampire world of BLADE as least as fascinating as the X-Files or Star Trek fictional universes.
My one complaint about BLADE is the comic bookish plot, which is just OKAY. When you have a movie where your bad guy's master plan is to "resurrect Amagra the blood red god" it kind of narrows your marketing audience.
SEQUEL POSSIBILITIES: A good BLADE sequel should concentrate on three pillars: all-around character depth, action choreography, and inner moral conflict/temptation. The action should be plentiful and chaotic, the gizmos uncomplicated (no batmobiles or remote control mosquitoes), and the villains should always be emotionally deep and steeped in lore (no cardboard). This basic formula should then be delivered through a down-to-earth plot that offers us glimpses of a hidden 'culture' that entertains and intrigues.
For example, I like how the ancient and traditionally rigid vampire hierarchy contrasts starkly with the disorderly, culturally relative human world in BLADE. Other points of intrigue include: fast-paced Filipino martial arts; Wesley Snipes' choreography input and acting; uncovering hidden vampire culture, history, or power struggles, and; deep or interesting ensemble characters all around, with many points of internal or external conflict.
In the sequel there could be several points of dramatic tension, such as: Blade forging a temporary alliance with someone he hates; Blade dealing with human weakness, tragedy, or a young child; Blade searching for his unknown father; clashing with other "day walkers" or vampires with abilities similar to his own; crossing paths with evil or good non-vampires such as HIGHLANDER immortals; being approached by someone with a fatal disease asking to be bitten in order to prolong life; reacting to tabloid exposure; et cetera.
For plot improvement I'd suggest a straight-shot, non-complicated plot that's not too comic book-ish or over-the-top, with a villain that's deliberately puzzling or enigmatic. The creators of BLADE should also make sure not to go too high tech. Like the HIGHLANDER, Blade is essentially a masterless samurai. He may seem to have strange powers compared to normal humans. But the essence of Blade is that he relies on martial valor and a personalized code of honor, while the unsuspecting and pampered humans rely on political expedience, money, technology, and moral relativity - - this makes the toiling Blade more human than the humans (and stricter than the vampires).
Reviewed August 21, 1998
Copyright © 1998 by David Sunga This review and others like it can be found at THE CRITIC ZOO: http://www.criticzoo.com email: zookeeper@criticzoo.com
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