Customer Reviews

Blade [UMD for PSP]

5 star:		(342)
4 star:		(116)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

Good action vampire stories, whether written, drawn or on film are just plain hard to find. For a while now the 'not quite bad' vampire and even the 'good' vampire have been fashionable. Not that I have anything against Angel or Henry Fitzroy and their ilk, but sometimes you want a story with a clear division between good and evil and a lot of knock them down and stake them action. Enter Blade.

Blade is a half vampire with a very nasty attitude toward his relatives on the dark side. Played by Wesley Snipes, he has all the moves and attitude you could ever want. His partner in his war against the things that did in his mother is Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Later, Karen (N'Bushe Wright) a forensic hematologist who has the bad luck to find a vampire on her table, joins them. Opposing this team is Frost (Steven Dorff), a vampire rebel who thinks it is time for the un-people with pointy teeth to come out of the closet. His plan is simple. Take over the vampire council, capture Blade and resurrect La Magra - the blood god. Then there will be nothing but vampires and bloodsicles.

'Blade' is an extremely violent film. Almost everyone is a martial arts expert, has access to what the US Congress would consider weapons of mass destruction, or is a victim. Sometimes, they are all three. Toss in a sufficiency of special effects, great settings, and good acting and you have the film. What makes 'Blade' work is its intense focus. It works hard at being exactly what it is - an action film with a strong 'wow' factor. Sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Steven Norrington, a director considerable experience in the horror/science fiction genre, has a great sense of what it takes to make comic book characters come to life on the screen. He manages to retain the strong visual impact of the original Marvel Comics series. David Goyer's script manages to capture the essence of comic book dialogue - sparse, but not stilted. The overall effect is a film that builds smoothly from start to ending, with very few slow moments.

The extras on the DVD are surprisingly good. Good sized features on the concepts and effects that went into the film, the story of the Blade comic, and an interesting survey of the vampire in human imagination. In addition, there is an extensive running commentary for the film. All of these are intelligently done. I think 'Blade,' despite its violence, will appeal a wide range of viewers as something more than just another Hong Kong fight film wannabe.

I'm giving this Two Stars not because of the film itself but for the following three complaints I have with this disc (I'm a huge fan of the movies, I have all three and have watched them dozens of times):

1. Price: $25.49 is awfully expensive for a movie that's been out for 11 years. Especially considering that much newer movies (e.g. "Watchmen: The Director's Cut", loaded with extras, btw) are going for lower. The aforementioned "Watchmen" is nearly $10 cheaper.

Surely a $35 or $40 boxed set of all three Blade films could have been issued.

2. Quality of Transfer

The transfer is hardly stunning and hardly worth the aforementioned price. Both my Blu-Ray player (a 120GB PS3, the very latest version of Sony's flagship console) and my HD-DVD player (a Toshiba A-30) upscale/up-res standard DVDs and I cannot tell the difference between THIS Blu-Ray transfer and the upscaled SD-DVD. Thus I'm feeling more than a little taken advantage of. Unfortunately, Amazon's policy limits me to a 50% refund, if they give me one at all. This film is still part of the best Vampire franchise out there (so far), in my opinion, but stick to the standard DVD versions. Not only do you get the extras, but since there's no discernible difference in picture quality, you'll also save yourself a good bit of cash.

3. No extras

Unfortunately, I missed the notice, which is just a single line of print, that no extras were included which scotches my reason for returning the disc. Surely this notification should have been bolded or rendered in a different color, something that would catch the eye better.

Although, in general, I am not a big fan of extras (with certain exceptions, they are rarely worth watching), I think a Blu-Ray release should at least contain everything on the original DVD release. After all, there's more than enough room on a BR disc to accommodate everything on a Standard DVD release since all BR videos are 50GB discs. And "Blade" will fit on a 4.7GB DVD (i.e. a single layer disc) WITHOUT the extras. Therefore, there's no reason NOT to include the extras given the huge amount of space the BR gives the studio for extra content.

Thus, if Blade requires 4.7GB of space for its 2 hours in Standard Definition, multiplying it by 6 (since we are constantly reminded that "Blu-Ray has SIX TIMES--!!!--the definition of DVD!"), that still leaves 26GB for extras, more than enough if these are left in standard def (as the majority of extras are).

Finally, as for the difference in aspect ratios: this is not an issue for me. Both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD normally use a 2.40:1 ratio (resulting in slightly smaller black bars bordering the film) and, strictly, speaking, I suppose, the original aspect ratio should have been preserved. However, the increase (?) in aspect ratio does NOT result in a distorted picture so I don't feel this is a drawback.

This was a great action/horror film, packed with some excellent special effects, an entertaining storyline, and at least a couple of reasonably talented actors (Snipes, Dorff). Kristofferson is terrible as always (a hint to you casting people... Sam Elliott would have been MUCH better as the tough and gritty Whistler).

But you're not really reading this review to hear about the movie -- you can get that kind of info anywhere. What you want to know is "Is the DVD worth buying instead of a VHS tape?" Weeeellll...

This movie is undoubtedly THE showcase movie for DVD (the Mummy is another very good choice). The picture quality is fantastic, and the sound is incredible (you gotta listen to it in Dolby Digital 5.1 on a nice home theater system to fully appreciate the sound). But what really sets this format apart from anything else are the SPECIAL FEATURES. A ton of things like information about the different Vampire houses, commentary from the director on the making of the film, and an alternative ending, really show how the DVD format can add to your viewing experience. Many DVDs (too many, in fact) are simply direct transfers from another format to DVD. No extras, limited enhancements on picture and sound... A perfect example of a BAD DVD is Highlander!

The DVD versions of the Bond movies have also shown the industry a thing or two about how to make a truly interesting and worthwhile DVD movie. DVDs like Blade make me happy I purchased a DVD player!

Lets face it. There have been only a handful of great films that were based on Comic Books: Superman, Batman, The X-Men, ect. With all the rest being dismal failures, usually because all involved didn't take their source material seriously enough and went in a completely different direction. Not bothering to really understand why people truly love these characters in the first place. These kinds of people should never be allowed to direct films derived from comic books.

It was the summer of 1998. The hollywood machine was throwing out dozens of entertainment fodder for the masses to engulf. I saw 14 film in the movie theaters that year. Blade was the only one of them I saw twice. Talk about a movie experience! From the opening shots, you are literally sucked in (no pun intended) to the world of the vampires. Wesley Snipes completely embraces the role of the title character and plays him to the hilt, with just a bit of dry cocky humor that is very refreshing.

As we first meet Blade at a Vampire techno club (which uses a great remix of a song called "Confusion" by New Order) we just know he's a force to be reckoned with as he slices, dices, burns & just plains blows up every vampire he gets a hold of (including Traci Lords, in a very memorable cameo). Kris Kristofferson plays Whistler, Blade's mentor and creator of the various weapons at his disposal, including guns & knives, bombs, & more. ("We have a good arrangement. He makes the weapons, I use 'em"). But it's Stephen Dorff as the bloodthirsty Deacon Frost that helps catapult the film from average action fair to the stuff of comic book legend. With most actors, this would be a one or two dimensional performance, but in the hands of Stephen Dorff, he turns the character of Deacon Frost into something much more multilayared. The interaction he has with Blade as well as his other fellow vampires give off this feel of someone we should not underestimate. Because a truly great villain is a huge key to a movie's success.

The whole mythos of vampires in this film moves the genre in a very interesting direction. According to Blade, pure silver, garlic & sunlight are the main tools to combat vampires. ("Crosses don't do d***, so forget about what you've seen in the movies") But the fact that the pure blood vampires are personified as old & disposable, while the nonpure vampires are young and virile, looking to take over and run things, can really be looked at as a depiction of our society, with the old guard being kicked out by the new one, lest anarchy ensue.

But "Blade" is without a doubt one of the best comic book adaptions to hit the big screen in a long time. It is truly up there with Superman & Batman as the best of the best. And New Line Cinema gives you more to praise about with the wonderful DVD Platinum Edition, that includes a nice audio commentary with Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff and others from the production and writing team. The only disappointing thing is that everyone is recorded seperately instead of all together in one big room which is more fun to listen to. Four Featurettes are also included: "La Magra" - which discusses the films evolution as well as showing some deleted scenes from the film (Deacon Frost's idea of freezing humans and harvesting them for their blood, plus the original ending of Frost turning into a digital effects blood monster. You'll be so glad it was deleted once you see it.) "Designing Blade" - a look at the production designs including interior, exteriors, Blade's arsenal and more! "The Origins of Blade" - An indepth discussion with Marvel Comics alum, Stan Lee & others on the genesis of comic books going from kid friendly to more for adults. "The Blood Tide" - A very interesting look at Vampire mythology in general beginning from the early 1900's. Plus you get the definitions to most of the glyphs shown in the film, cast & crew bios and film credits, as well as the wonderful original theatrical trailer that still packs a punch all it's own!

Blade - A True Comic Book Classic!

"Some [people] are always tryin' to iceskate uphill" - Wesley Snipes as Blade

Also, don't miss the incredible sequel, Blade II!

As an avid fan of vampire movies, I couldn't wait to see Wesley Snipes take on the role of Blade. It was worth every second of the wait. This movie is a rocking, rollicking thrill ride of a vampire movie, with fully-developed heroes, villians and storylines. From the opening "nightclub" scene to the final battle there is never a dull moment.

Based on the "comic" book character Blade, this movie follows the exploits of the half-vampire, half-human bloodsucker slayer, who has taken it upon himself to rid the world of the vampire vermin. Snipes is fantastic in this role. He has the swagger and the athleticism to carry it off with true style. Having seen him in this role, I could not even imagine another actor taking it on. Kris Kristopherson has developed a second career playing a crusty mentor type, and he is very good at it. Stephen Dorff brings a good attitude as Blade's nemisis, although he lacks the some of the charisma that the character requires. Other than that, I have no complaints about this movie.

The story, directing and acting are all first rate. If you like action packed excitement, you will love this movie. It starts in high gear and never slows down. Violent and bloody, it is not for the young or squemish, but if you are neither, slap it in the DVD player and have a great time. This was the first DVD I ever bought and I have watched it many times since.

A classic Vampire/Action movie. Add it to your collection and enjoy the ride.

STORY: Half Vampire, half Human, Blade (Wesley Snipes) fights against evil Vampires led by Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) who have plans to conquer the world. He is assisted by veteran Vampire hunter Whistler, portrayed by Kris Kristofferson.

CAST: Wesley Snipes plays the ultra cool hero and you definately root for him. Although it seems that sometimes he tries too hard at being a hero but most of the time he succeeds. What makes Stephen Dorff's character scary is his innteligence, which is expressed beautifully in the actor's eyes. He is probably one of the most convincing comic villans since Jack Nicholson in Batman.

SCRIPT: It is based on a comic series, so the story is rather thin. There are very original ideas about the modern Vampires but some far-fetched plot parts and untied story strings. But the hero get's his catchy one-liners and there is plenty of irony in it, which helps to not take it too serious.

DIRECTING: As I first saw it, the images blew me away. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed and shot and there's a really stylish atmosphere to it. The industrial soundtrack adds to the rythmic editing and accelerates the fights. The special effects are somewhat weak, but this is a glossy B-Movie and that is part of the fun it provides. As I saw the brilliant "Matrix" one year later I realized that some shots seemed very familiar to Blade.

THE DVD: The picture quality of the DVD is wonderful but the Dolby Digital sountrack lacks some dimension. But the disc is loaded with extra features including commentary and isolated score. The most interesting ones deal with the history of Vampires and they match perfect with the movie

ALL IN ALL. Brace yourself for a fun, loud ride with some special effect and story flaws. Just shut down your brain before you start and enjoy!

Thank God that someone finally translated a Marvel Comic to the silver screen successfully. After The Punisher (where the hell was his chest emblem?)and Captain America (which I don't even have any words for), Blade is a breath of fresh air. Yeah, okay, the acting wasn't oscar material and the plot was a bit confusing at times (What happened to the Vampire God?), but this movie was still awesome. Wesley Snipes was perfect as Blade and he finally got a chance to really show off his martial arts skills. Definitely worth the buy. And by the way, I see alot of people comparing this with "The Lost Boys". Wake up, people. That's like comparing "Enter the Dragon" to "Mortal Kombat". They are two totally different movie styles. Take Blade for what it is.

I have been a fan of the vampire sub-genre in general and of Blade in particular (e.g. in his appearances in the Marvel comic books) ever since I was a kid. This movie served to more or less re-invent the character, at least from the point of view of the comic book fandom (e.g. the Marvel character wasn't even a vampire to begin with!). Although this fact usually turns-off most purists, I for one am very impressed with this revised treatment which in my opinion breathes much-needed life to an otherwise "degenerating" (e.g. in terms of fan interest) character.

Wesley Snipes' grim and gritty portrayal of Blade was perfectly pulled off and I can think of no other actor who can be more fit for this semi-tragic role. His mastery of the Brazilian hard styles was both very evident and apt. Stephen Dorff's acting was likewise very convincing as, well, the resident "bad boy" among (very, very) bad boys. Ditto for Kris Kristofferson and the rest (including Traci Lords' brief cameo).

This disc is packed with tons of bonus features, most notable for me of which is an alternate ending which is very interesting (mouth-watering actually, making you wish for a sequel especially after seeing the final scenes), although still inferior/somewhat lame even when juxtaposed against the final product. My only complaint is the House of Erebus slide section; I found it very difficult to read the text which is unfortunate because the info on the various branches of the vampire family was very interesting. Too bad also that there wasn't any time to develop this further ala C.Thomas Howell's Kindred series; it would have been interesting to see the interaction/conflicts between the vampire sub-families. I hope they end up doing either a sequel or, better yet, a tv series/spin-off.

This is a very well-done quasi-horror/quasi-martial arts flick which is well worth its price...especially with the added bells and whistles. I feel that other DVDs should at least have some of these features built in them (e.g. featurettes other than the standard fare of theatrical trailers and interactive menus!)

First off, I'm no goth. And I've seen too many excellent films to truly be able to call this ANOTHER excellent film. But it succeeds where a lot of bigger-budget (and less interesting) action films fail, and actually possesses several different elements that will appeal to movie buffs of other genres.

The aforementioned 'hong kong' influence is easily spotted, but from the opening sequence in the meat plant, to the final showdown, the production values of the film are fantastic. Stephen Dorff makes an able enough villain, and Kris Kristofferson actually steals the show with his gnarled, grizzly performance as Blade's weapons man, Whistler.

Wesley Snipes has pretty much established himself as the premier US action movie star; his Karate and Capoeira skills making you fully believe that he IS Blade. Some of the camera cut-aways are cheesy, but that's about my only complaint. Good use of time-lapse photography and a nice soundtrack that doesn't detract from the film at any moment. I'm sure it looks and sounds amazing on DVD, but I've never seen it on that format.

At the very least, this is a masterful b-film--on par with Brandon Lee's "The Crow". And above all, it stands (before X-Men got released) as a blueprint that shows how you can make movies from comic books that don't have to be moronic or crass.

When it comes to action/adventure and comic book style superheroes 'Blade' is one of the classics of the genre. Wesley Snipes is perfect as the anti-hero Blade. Half human, half vampire he is known as Daywalker. Blade possesses all the strengths and none of the weaknesses of other vampires. The rays of the sun have no effect on him, thus the name "Daywalker" and garlic and silver do not destroy him as they do other vampires. Protector of the human race, he is the most feared enemy of the Vampire Nation.

If you love dark superhero type movies and aren't squimish about blood, afterall this is a vampire tale, this is the movie for you. Wesley is fantastic as is Stephen Dorff as the evil young vampire Deacon Frost. N'Bushe Wright is a nice addition as Dr. Karen Jenson who adds some much needed attractiveness to a very dark film and Udo Kier has a small but impressive role as Vampire Elder Dragonetti. Also suprisingly good role for Kris Kristofferson as Blade's human partner 'Whistler'.