The 1998 Blade was a tight action film with an okay script and well-choreographed fight scenes, and the sequel continues just where the original left off. In Blade II (2002), there is more blood, more fight scenes, and more vampires. Since the filmmaking industry has upgraded, a lot of the stunts have been replaced with computer graphics. Blade II is a blockbuster action epic from the legendary Guillermo del Toro, and it’s one of those rare sequels that are as great as, if not better than, the original.
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The Movie Review
Two years later, Blade finds himself in another kind of war. A rare mutation lurks within the vampire community, The Reaper. These types of vampires are so bloodthirsty they feed on both humans and vampires, turning those who survive into one of them.
Vampires now face a threat by the rapid growth of the Reaper population, and soon there won’t be enough humans to quench their bloodthirst. Blade, Whistler, and an armor specialist called Scud is called upon by The Shadow Council, who grudgingly admits that they are in trouble and that Blade’s help is needed. Blade then forms a dangerous bond with The Bloodpack, an elite band of vampires who have been trained in all kinds of combat in order to eliminate the Reapers.
Blade II is the love child of a director, cinematographer, and writer who are all passionate about horror. The film is tinted with the mysterious horror aspects Guillermo del Toro is known for. He approaches the Blade franchise in a far different way than Stephen Norrington did, with a more visual and aesthetic approach to things than Norrington did with the first picture. Del Toro, on the other hand, changed the game in a major way, bringing his macabre aesthetic to the franchise, and it’s just satisfying.
The action scenes, as well as the camerawork, all show a genuine love for the genre.
As always, the film’s flaw lies in the bad CGI, even with Del Toro in it. Unfortunately, there were even more scenes that needed special effects, so it was even more obvious. It’s also difficult not to question why the world needs someone like Blade when vampires are so stupidly easy to kill.
The action always pauses for long explanations about mythology, backstories, vampire-killing equipment every five to ten minutes. Blade’s smart-mouthed, stoner man gadget inventor can design, then mass-produce new lines of specialized weaponry in the same freaking day, thanks to the movie’s wacky timeframe.
Still, the fight scenes were so good I wanted to punch the air. This time, the camera work is actually good, especially during the sword fights. When it comes to the cast, Wesley Snipes will be forever known as Blade. He tries everything he can to keep it as the people’s favorite, but beside him were also amazing actors.
You’ve got Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, and Leonor Varela who did an excellent job as the leading female character – who has an awesome fight sequence with Blade in the beginning. Luke Goss played perfectly as the villain, showing off both his compassionate and ruthless sides. Marco Beltrami’s techno/hip-hop score in this is great too. Overall, the film takes all the good things in the first movie and improves it.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, Blade II is a good sequel despite being flawed in some areas, the plot, the CGI, and unnecessary dialogue definitely needed more work. I honestly understand why most people were disappointed by it. However, I think it has proved itself a worthy match to its predecessor. The horror aspects of the film were amplified thanks to Del Toro, while the first Blade was all about action, Blade II is much gorier and more terrifying this time around.
