Blade II [DVD] [2002]

The special effects used in this movie are second to none. There is a seamless blend between Computer Generated effects and actual Robotic models etc. It is only when you watch the second disk the the "behind the scenes" bit that you appreciate how much work has gone into this title.

If you liked the first then I am sure you will love this but if like me you DIDN'T like the first then please give this one a chance. It has bags of action, loads of fight sequences and some very gory moments too. Ok, Ok the plot/storyline is nothing spectacular but lets not forget BLADE is a comic book character therefore its all about action and adventure. As you can expect you have to take many of the scenes in this film with a pinch of salt BUT that being said, unless you take life and your movies too seriously I am sure you will enjoy this rollercoaster of a movie.

And as I mentioned before the second disk with behind the scenes/making of footage I personally found just a entertaining as the movie itself, If you have an interest in Computer Graphics or what goes on behind the scenes of Holywood movies then I can totally recomend this package as you not only get a beast of a movie you also get a very very indepth look at the people who (quite literally sometimes) pull the strings behind the cameras. After watching the second disk I pretty much guarantee you will return to the movie and watch it again to see if you can spot which parts are real and which are not.
I hope this was helpful for you.

It suffers from the curse of many horror sequels - that of having to cast off any intelligence and innovation the original film may have by repeating the formula with better special effects supervisors than script writers.

The outdated 'stop the spreading menace before it's too late' cliche is poorly used and feels out of place, as do many elements of the film from the computer nerd, to the team of vampire mercenaries. The traditional mainstays of the vampire film - the sultry temptress, the evil overlord bathing in blood in his old stone mansion - which the first film trampled with contempt are shamelessly propounded here.

The gore, whilst not particularly shocking, falls squarely into the 'gratuitous' category, with the puzzling appearance of a mid-film autopsy of one of the new breed rating as one of the most gruesome, ridiculous and highly unnecessary scenes ever to feature in a horror film.

It is particularly difficult to find favour with any of the characters, who are for the main part grossly overplayed, although you might respect the valiant effort of Leonor Varela to invest her part as the love interest and daughter of the conniving overlord with some dignity and credibility.

The film is a hash, borrowing mainly from the action genre, without success. It deserves its three stars, although perhaps not your hard-earned money, by virtue of the beautiful visual effects and heart-pounding action sequences. The ninja-style fight sequences easily rival those of The Matrix - I would argue that they far exceed them - the camera work is flawless, and every scene is highly atmospheric. It is a real shame that it doesn't excuse the film's other flaws, although it nearly carries the plot on its own.

The key to this purchase is to know what to expect - if a blood-drenched rehash of action movie cliches with the addition of the odd vampire or two is what you are looking for, then you will be far from disappointed by the presentation. Unfortunately, this film will always falter by comparison to the original Blade.