Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Luke Goss, Lenore Varela, Ron Pearlman, Norman Reedus and Thomas Kretschmann
What a damn KICK-BUTT sequel! Blade II remains my favourite of Marvels’ Blade films. While the first one started it, “Blade II” all but truly ends it on a high note (to say nothing of that last movie…) with it’s breakneck action, awe-inspiring fights and choreography, absolutely FOUL make up effects and overall energy, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more exciting vampire hunting action film. But while it is celebrated for all of these things, Del Toro also wisely embued his own storytelling sensibilities into an admittedly straight-forward story. With references to the Sopheclean structure of drama, Frank Frazetta posturing, Gothic melodrama and body horror, “Blade II” takes out all the stops when it comes to pitting our hero Blade against one of his finest enemies- Jared Nomak. Nomak is a tragic villain, a tainted anti-hero and a figure of sacrifice and fear and Goss delivers all of these things through that make up be it visually or orally. Not only that, but the topic of scientific ethics, an incredibly touchy topic mind you, is broached in an intelligent way that doesn’t feel like it’s being crammed down your throat with your tongue and teeth, but it’s enough to make the more observant audience member think. Oh and it’s so wonderfully DISGUSTING in places that it will make you cringe and smile like a kid in a horrific candy store. Yummy, yummy!
The Super Network 