Blade 2
(2002)
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In Guillermo del Toro's BLADE II, Wesley Snipes reprises his role as the part-human, part-vampire superhero based on the comic book character. Following a trail of blood that leads to Prague, Blade (aka the Daywalker) slays a legion of bloodsuckers in the search for his abducted mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Soon Blade reluctantly joins forces with a band of skilled vampiric warriors called the Bloodpack to hunt down an even deadlier enemy--the monstrous Reapers, who prey on vampires and humans alike, infecting them with an incurable virus. In addition to battling these relentless new foes, Blade must deal with situations brought about by the Bloodpack's tenuous alliance --in particular, his attraction to the lovely Nyssa (Leonor Varela) and his rivalry with the brutish Reinhardt (Ron Perlman). |
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Mexican genre maestro Guillermo del Toro (Cronos, Mimic) takes over directing duties for the next episode in the Daywalker chronicles, based on the character from cult Marvel comic Tomb of Dracula. Pitching the moody half-vampire/half-human Blade (Wesley Snipes) as a sort of nocturnal James Bond with gadgets and gimmicks galore, the film's unrelenting action kicks in within seconds and never flags. This time Blade reluctantly joins forces with vampire overlord Damaskinos (Thomas Kretschmann) to wipe out the Reapers — a new breed of super-vampires unaffected by most traditional methods of eradication — who are cutting a swathe through both the human and undead communities in Prague. It's a fabulous-looking package, elegantly orchestrated by Del Toro who has an unerring eye for undead iconography taken to visually imaginative extremes. While it has zero character substance and isn't remotely scary, Blade II at least unapologetically delivers the requisite amount of attitude, splatter and grisly shock-horror.
Halliwell's Film Guide
Slickly directed mayhem, full of loud and fast-paced action that gives little time to contemplate the ridiculousness of it all.
