Review of Blade

Introduction

We were having one of those deep philosophical discussions at work, as you do and the topic turned to the generally poor nature of big screen comic book conversions. After having a good laugh at Judge Dredd and the later Batmans, my friend said that there were a few movies that were faithful and enjoyable conversions. Try as I might I couldn`t think of one, but my friend vehemently recommended Blade as the exception to the rule. It`s solely on his say so that I sought out Blade in a bargain bucket and sat down to watch it. Like the doofus that I am, I forgot one thing. I`ve never read the Blade comic book. This might have been a big waste of time and money if it weren`t for one thing, the film is pretty good.

Blade is a legend, as the Daywalker he fights the scourge of vampires in search of vengeance for the accident of his birth. A vampire attacked his mother when she was pregnant and the child was born a hybrid. He has the unnatural strength of a vampire and the same thirst for blood, but sunlight, silver and other traditional weapons against vampires have no effect on him. With the aid of his mentor Whistler and a serum that controls his thirst for human blood, he battles the hidden vampire nation. It`s during one of these confrontations that he encounters a haematologist, Karen who he rescues from the clutches of a vampire. Against his better judgement, he helps her when it seems all to inevitable that she will become a vampire herself. She believes that she`ll be able to cure herself and maybe Blade as well, but the vampire, Deacon Frost has other intentions. Following the words of an ancient prophecy he will resurrect the evil of the La Magra and inundate the world in evil. The blood of the Daywalker is essential in his plans. The two are destined to collide in an explosive confrontation.

Video

The picture is presented in a pristine 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. The image is sharp and clear. Stephen Norrington directs well, with an eye for the comic book styling of the subject matter. The colours are strong and the film`s design is very stylised. It`s a pleasure to watch something that has so much care and though gone into it. However the same can`t be said for the effects. They vary from the very good to the abysmal. The CGI blood in the finale is very plasticky looking and doesn`t seem part of the environment at all. The demise of Dragonetti in flames is the worst scene in the movie, but on the other hand, the stunts are very good and some of the wire-work rivals the Matrix for sheer panache.

Audio

The music by Mark Isham serves to push the action along, but some well-chosen songs supplement the soundtrack. The sound is presented in a choice of DD 5.1 or Dolby Surround English tracks. The action makes good use of the speakers and I felt immersed in the action.

Features

The packaging has some glaring errors. First there`s no mention of the Surround track, but more importantly there is no mention of the audio commentary on this disc. You`d think that`s the kind of thing they would advertise. It`s in the languages menu if you`re wondering. It`s introduced as the commentary from the New Line Platinum edition, so it`s probably a straight transfer. It also makes reference to some extras, which aren`t on the R2 disc. As well as contributions from Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, there are significant contributions from the film`s Screenwriter, Producer, Production Designer and Cinematographer. The commentary is interesting and worth listening to. As well as talking about the making of the film, the actors discuss their characters and their motivations, which makes a change from the usual anecdotes that you hear. Don`t worry anecdote fans, there`s a humdinger about Donal Logue`s jaw that you have to hear. In addition to this there is a 14-minute section called La Magra, which looks at a deleted scene and the original ending with interviews with the crew to explain the choices. Designing Blade, (23 min) looks at the making of Blade in terms of the production designs, make up, stunts and special effects, all pretty impressive stuff. There are the usual filmographies, here supplemented by interview snippets with the cast. The total footage here totals some 5 minutes. There is the usual theatrical trailer and finally a Behind the Scenes section, which adds about 6 minutes of B-reel footage.

Conclusion

An important factor in producing a decent comic conversion is to be faithful to the material. You may reinterpret the original material and reinvent characters, but the minute you slip into irony or tongue in cheek styling, you`ve lost. This means that initially you must get the casting right, in fact the higher profile the actors, the better chance you have to pull it off. Here the casting of Blade is essential and Wesley Snipes fills the role perfectly. He`s brilliant in the action sequences and has the gravitas to carry of the emotional depth of the character well. When you see him, you get into the character and can empathise fully with him. Kris Kristofferson as Blade`s mentor, Whistler is solid and provides a good contrast against the taciturn warrior. Casting Stephen Dorff as Deacon Frost makes for good balance as he brings an irreverence and charisma to his role. His fast-talking and arrogance remind me of Denis Leary but without the sarcasm. N`Bushe Wright is good as the doctor, Karen and serves as our eyes into this fantastic world of vampires. Finally, poor Donal Logue as Quinn suffers tremendously for his art, as he is constantly sliced and diced by Blade as his role as the comedy relief.

This film is really quite good. The characters are strong and the visuals striking. For once a comic book is explored with an adult audience in mind and the final result is a credit to the filmmakers. The story is quite weak however, and the end result is one of style over substance. But what style. The action is powerful and Wesley Snipes has such presence that if needed to he could have carried the whole film. Fortunately the cast support him well and Dorff provides a flamboyant nemesis. I really have only two problems with this film. Some of the effects are quite ropy and show their budget, and the climax of the film is ridiculous. When Snipes and Dorff are clashing swords, the action is speeded up to a ridiculous rate. There is no way that you can see what is going on and it sounds like an accident in a steel mill. Trying to up the ante in terms of action has left the confrontation ridiculous and confusing. However, considering the original Blood Wind ending as seen in the extras, this is a step up. When considering sword fights, think Star Wars, flashy moves and stylish combat are better than lots of sparks and clanging. Other than that, this is a good, fun movie, perfect for Buffy graduates.