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Rating: 3 out of 5
Here we go! I want to put this out there since the Marvel Cinematic Universe is as hot as ever. As we know, Blade is about to be rebooted with the one and only Mahershala Ali starring as Blade. Great choice and I think he will do a fantastic job. Marvel knows how to make movies, and adding another black superhero to the fold will do wonders again. Maybe not on the lines of Black Panther, but I can see good things ahead with the diversity.
With all that said, let’s give some respect to the original Blade starring Wesley Snipes. Before there was even a Marvel Universe and Rated R superhero movies, Blade was the OG on the block. It is time to put some respect on this film because it might not be the best and greatest superhero film, but damnit, it was one that somewhat started things and needs to be given its due.
Blade begins in 1967 when a pregnant woman is rushed into the ER while severely bleeding from the neck. Paramedics believe she was attacked by some animal and perform an emergency C-section to save the baby. The baby loves as she dies. Fast forward thirty years, a world where vampires walk and rule behind in the shadows, the baby has grown into a man known to the vampire world as Blade (Snipes) or Daywalker. Blade was born a vampire and has all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses. He can survive in the sunlight, and garlic doesn’t affect him. He only has his thirst for blood, which he suppresses with a homemade serum. Blade’s goal is to rid the world of all vampires, and he receives help from Abraham Whistler (Kristofferson). When Blade witnesses a vampire bite Dr. Karen Jenson (Wright), he fights away the beast and takes Jenson back to his hideout. In the vampire world, Deacon Frost (Dorff) plans to bring the vampires out from the darkness and into the forefront. Blade is the only man who can stop him if he secedes.
Even though this isn’t the best superhero film, it is still great with the action. That opening scene with the club is a great opening. A human is taken to an underground club, and he is trying to jam out. Then blood sprays from the ceiling, and soon the human finds himself in a pack of hungry vampires. Then the music stops as the human crawls and sees black shoes. As people move away, we see Blade in all his absolute freakin BEAST mode glory. People know the day walker is about to beat some ass as he walks in slow motion. Love how when he is introduced, people move away from him, and he does that slow walk with a smile. Then shit goes down as he pulls out the shotgun. The fight scene that ensues is great with weapons, martial arts, and that sword. Oh, and to finish off the scene and fight with that boomerang weapon that kills those three vampires. Love how the camera follows it.
Now the actual story is meh and pretty standard. Frost is an underling who thinks he has the best way of putting vampires on the map, but he isn’t a pureblood and is overruled by a head council. What do most underlings do? Figure out a way to become top dog. Real quick, how did Frost get to the level he is at? How did he even have a seat at the table if he isn’t pureblood? Well, Frost translates the vampire bible, which everyone says can’t be translated because its written language is dead. Ha! Welcome to the world of technology. Frost finds out about the blood god and how he can become it. People are about to die. Well, they are already dead but become more dead.
This film’s whole vibe and atmosphere are spot on, and I don’t care what anyone says. This isn’t some Twilight movie. This is a dude killing vampires, and it should be extreme and violent. This movie works because it plays on the way people will actually speak. For example, when Blade is in the hospital, and the cops shoot at him. His response is perfect because what person will say, “please stop that.” Plus, vampires are in the dark, and the vibe should be dark without sunlight.
The action scenes are over the top with special effects that haven’t aged too well. The whole fighting in the library is one thing, and the train scene. The real action is at the end when Blade drinks some blood and goes to whip some ass. At the end, the whole fight with Frost was over the top, but it’s a freaking superhero action movie. It works.
Now some scenes are entirely confusing. What was the deal with the whole sunblock? Frost puts on sunblock to go talk to Blade in the daytime. What were you using SPF 1 million because I want to know? Also, how did Pearl get so freaking big? That was a fat vampire. Also, you have your bible hanging up for it to be exploded. You could’ve copied that bad boy.
Wesley Snipes is the ideal version of Blade. He was just right in every way possible. He had the martial arts background, the swagger, and just the look. When you think of Blade, you think of Wesley Snipes. He wasn’t too much and wasn’t too little. He knew what the role needed to be, and he did the damn thing.
Blade might not be the best superhero out there. Hell, it’s one of the most violent ones out there. Yet, let’s give some respect to the OG of superhero films. Before Marvel was Marvel, Blade came out. It’s better than those first Hulk films. Here’s to you, Blade.
