31 Days of Horror: Blade (1998)

Vampires and gore does not a horror movie make; but given that Blade's stylishly played hand has etched itself in my memory {and quite frankly did scare the living begeezus back in '98}, it makes my days of horror.

Let's get one thing clear. I enjoy vampire movies {and count Interview with a Vampire and Bram Stoker's Dracula among my favourites.} I do not like Wesley Snipes. To think I {almost} didn't see this movie because of him. Actually, I saw this move by proxy--someone else picked it; enough conversation.

From it's opening sequence with the techno club pulsating beneath the butcher shop for obvious reasons, Blade has one thing going--vampires are modern and sexy cool. Blade (Snipes) is an embittered half-man, half-vampire sworn to killing the species. His arch-nemesis Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) wants to bring about a vampire apocalypse. With the help of a Zen-master played by Kris Kristofferson, good fights evil.

Snipes is palatable here, not much in the acting arena, but with ample physicality. It's Dorff and his vampiric minions that steal the show. The embodiment of evil they creep and seduce. Think The Matrix simplified.

Though the film has more style than substance, Blade does thrill and provides adequate tension and scares. The production is highly stylized. No surprise considering director Stephen Norrington's other film, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The movie doesn't stop with action and violent sequences that entice and engage.

Blade is a decent addition to the vampire genre {probably more-so the comic book one}. What elevates this good versus evil story to worthy viewing status are the visually beautiful opening and final scenes that go down equally graphic and horrifying.