Blade II: Lights, Horror, Action!

By Esther Iverem
SeeingBlack.com Editor and Film Critic

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"Blade II" cannot be accused of lacking anything, except perhaps some restraint. Following new exploits of the half-human, half-vampire Blade, (which is, by far, Wesley Snipes' best role), this film is a mixture of Jet Li-type martial arts, "Alien"-type horror, James Bond gadgetry and a few WWF Smackdown! moves thrown in for good measure, and for a good, gory time.

This vampire business can get nasty, though, so if you're not prepared for doughy-faced creatures with expanding mouths, splattering blood or scenes of internal organs, maybe you'd better stick to something more on the order of "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" this weekend.

In this story, shot entirely amid decaying, industrial areas of the Czech Republic, Blade is still battling the Vampire Nation, which wants to rule the world and use humans for food. But Blade is persuaded to join forces with this "nation" to help them fight a new breed of vampires suffering from a virus that gives them super strength, allows them to infect other vampires and is, ultimately, deadly.

He is aided again by Whistler, (a very wrinkled Kris Kristofferson. They don't let women look like this in movies). At the start, Blade rescues Whistler from the nation, which had held him captive for years. It turns out that Blade needs all the help he can get from his old pal. These new super vampires can fight like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" to the fifth power. They are even impervious to the silver bullets in Blade's assorted big guns. Though Blade is assisted in this quest by a band of fighter vampires from the nation (most notedly Donnie Yen from "Iron Monkey" (yay!) it is Whistler who ultimately is Blade's right-hand man.

This is definitely a vehicle for Snipes, who stars in all the big fight scenes and adds a vampire twist to the development of the Black superhero in film. He rocks a wicked vampire fade cut, complete with a funky widow's peak and some very 1980's designs shaved onto the back of his head. He is the commander here, striding to a hip-hop beat. He is in charge, even when others think they are. This ain't no Black sidekick flick.

One question for all you fashionistas: who will win the war of the long black coat this year, Blade or Morpheus? (My MAIN man, Laurence Fishburne coming at you again in "Matrix II") Based on the previews I've seen, I pick Morpheus, but maybe I am biased. I think that whole baldie thing with the right-shaped head and dark shades give Morpheus an advantage, whereas Wesley sometimes looks more like a vampire pimp. But you be the judge, if you care at all about this very inappropriate diversion.)

As if conscious of its over-the-top, super hero genre, "Blade II" is not above a little self-mockery. Toward the end, when Blade has kicked the butt of one of the bad guys, Whistler tosses him something we assume to be a weapon to continue the fight. But the item in question is his pair of black shades, which he promptly sports, en route to the next beat down.

Esther Iverem's film reviews also appear on the entertainment pages of BET.com

-- March 28, 2002

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