Movie Review: BLADE II (2002)
Blade II (2002)–*1/2
More than three years ago, a lesser-known comic book hero became a cult phenomenon. With incredible swordplay and tons of exploding vampires, the Spider-Man spin-off, Blade, became the sleeper hit of the summer of 1998. It was only natural, then, for New Line Cinema to franchise the vampire hunter flick. With a new, more experienced director and a returning screenwriter,Blade II tries to recreate the sophisticated horror tone of the first film while enhancing the electrifying action. When the action takes over, however, the sequel loses its bite.
After rescuing his kidnapped and infected mentor Whistler (Kris Kristoferson) from the sinister vampire nation, Blade (Wesley Snipes) is suddenly offered a truce. The vampire nation, facing extermination at the hands of a new breed of vampire known as a Preacher, recruits Blade, Whistler, and the new weapons technician Scud for a joint battle against this dangerous opponent. With the help of the nations “Blood Pack,” Blade must ride the underworld of the new breed before the vampires are wiped out and the Preachers move onto human prey.
Blade II had potential. The premise was solid enough, with the unlikely teaming of Blade with his most hated foes. Even the first action sequence increases the hope of a superior film. The story ofBlade II, however, is ill fated. It doesn’t take long for the sequel to fall flat on its face with horror clichés, superfluous and tiresome action, and a plot that is only unpredictable because it takes such ridiculous twists.
The film’s collapse first becomes apparent when the focus of the initial hard-hitting fight scenes steers away Blade. The “Blood Pack” and their first fight with the Reaper’s sees a long absence of the title hero. After watching the boring, Blade-less shoot-outs the action sequences gradually become more monotonous. The extremely intricate choreography usually associated with a lone wolf Blade is exchanged for tired group gunplay. Even when Blade returns, the action is overdone to the point of lacking any real entertainment value.
As the action becomes the chief element, the characters never have a chance to become anything more Preacher fodder. The irrelevant “Blood Pack” members, one-by-one fall prey to the monsters in hackneyed horror film fashion. But even the characters we are supposed to be concerned with, including Blade, are bland and ineffectual.
Blade’s lifeless romantic interest, played by Leonor Varela, is a character that receives scene after scene of futile characterization attempts. Even if she is on the verge of being pummeled or killed, there is no caring for her character. By the end of the film it doesn’t even matter if Blade and her get any closure because nothing has been built up to conclude. Not one single moment in all of her screen time can jazz up Varela’s insipid role.
Truly one of the biggest difficulties in this awkward sequel is the unnecessary return of Whistler (whose suicide was implied in the first film). After a hot, but otherwise pointless rescue sequence Whistler meets his replacement Scud. The two are constantly bickering and both do the job one of them could do. The only reasons two characters are employed are Scud’s absurd turn at the end and Whistlers tactless, and unfunny one-liners. Scud could easily do the job on his own, but someone must have thought the film would be disastrous without Whistler. Look how that turned out.
The film concludes in the same fashion as the original; with Blade doing his vampire hunting in another part of the world. Maybe that type of exciting conclusion will become a classic Bladefranchise technique. Then again, if it requires a making third Blade film, we could probably do without any more dead vampires.
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