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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
Blade: Trinity
By Craig Younkin Published December 10, 2004
US Release: December 8, 2004
Directed by: David S. Goyer
Starring: Wesley Snipes , Kris Kristofferson , Ryan Reynolds , Jessica Biel
R
Running Time: 105 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $52,411,906
Directed by: David S. Goyer
Starring: Wesley Snipes , Kris Kristofferson , Ryan Reynolds , Jessica Biel
R
Running Time: 105 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $52,411,906
D
Awfully amateurish, a comic book film more concerned with its own style than about actually giving us that one final layer that makes the character complete.
Blade: Trinity is the last edition of the ?Blade? series, but unfortunately the writer of all three films, David S. Goyer, really mucks up the sendoff. This is the first "Blade" film Goyer has directed and what he has given us is something awfully amateurish, a comic book film more concerned with its own style than about actually giving us that one final layer that makes the character complete. Everything except the action sequences are played down here, giving us one-dimensional villains, painfully lame secondary characters, and a story that never seems to be as important as Goyer wants us to believe.
The film?s key villain is Dracula (Dominic Purcell), who has been unearthed after many years of disappearance by a squadron of vampires hoping to use him to finally get rid of Blade. Blade (Wesley Snipes) is, of course, the part human, part vampire in charge of protecting the human race from being sucked dry. When we first meet up with him he is being framed for murder by Danica (Parker Posey), the leader of the squadron. This leads to a FBI raid that causes the death of his friend and mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Whistler had a daughter, however, named Abigail (Jessica Biel), who is the leader of a band of vampire hunters known as the Night Stalkers. Having no other choice but to accept their help, Blade reluctantly joins this band of young misfits.
The story is mainly just a barrage of wall to wall action sequences, heavily stylized with flashy edits and loud techno, heavy metal, and hip hop music. The martial arts choreography looks awesome but it doesn?t help that the battles are so one sided. The henchmen, who seem to be composed primarily of fairy dust, usually just fall to pieces with one punch or kick so the fights don?t leave much room for tension. And the one fight that should peak interest ? the final showdown between Dracula and Blade ? doesn?t because this Dracula has no soul. He is presented not as the legendary romantic/bloodsucker of the Bram Stoker tale, but just as some muscle bound Gap model.
Goyer wants the introduction of Dracula to up the ante, but besides for the overdone mouth effects ripped directly from "Alien," we are never given anything unique about him. As for villains in this series, only one has been flawless. Somewhere Stephen Dorff is popping a cork of champagne.
Wesley Snipes continues to do fine work here, playing the character with full furious intensity, but he isn?t given any help. Ryan Reynolds, playing Hannibal King, the second leader of the Night Stalkers, is annoyingly sophomoric as the comic relief. Parker Posey is still too much of a comic actress, never quite capturing the "bitch" quality that goes with playing a villain. And Jessica Biel, who should be the most interesting new character, isn?t given any time to develop her role at all.
Coming after director Guillermo del Toro?s incredible work in "Blade 2,? you have to wonder why he didn?t get to come back for this film. Goyer has written and produced some very good thrillers and I?m sure in the future he?ll have many more, but this final "Blade" film is just a monumental bore. This is one vampire script that could have used some garlic.
The film?s key villain is Dracula (Dominic Purcell), who has been unearthed after many years of disappearance by a squadron of vampires hoping to use him to finally get rid of Blade. Blade (Wesley Snipes) is, of course, the part human, part vampire in charge of protecting the human race from being sucked dry. When we first meet up with him he is being framed for murder by Danica (Parker Posey), the leader of the squadron. This leads to a FBI raid that causes the death of his friend and mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Whistler had a daughter, however, named Abigail (Jessica Biel), who is the leader of a band of vampire hunters known as the Night Stalkers. Having no other choice but to accept their help, Blade reluctantly joins this band of young misfits.
The story is mainly just a barrage of wall to wall action sequences, heavily stylized with flashy edits and loud techno, heavy metal, and hip hop music. The martial arts choreography looks awesome but it doesn?t help that the battles are so one sided. The henchmen, who seem to be composed primarily of fairy dust, usually just fall to pieces with one punch or kick so the fights don?t leave much room for tension. And the one fight that should peak interest ? the final showdown between Dracula and Blade ? doesn?t because this Dracula has no soul. He is presented not as the legendary romantic/bloodsucker of the Bram Stoker tale, but just as some muscle bound Gap model.
Goyer wants the introduction of Dracula to up the ante, but besides for the overdone mouth effects ripped directly from "Alien," we are never given anything unique about him. As for villains in this series, only one has been flawless. Somewhere Stephen Dorff is popping a cork of champagne.
Wesley Snipes continues to do fine work here, playing the character with full furious intensity, but he isn?t given any help. Ryan Reynolds, playing Hannibal King, the second leader of the Night Stalkers, is annoyingly sophomoric as the comic relief. Parker Posey is still too much of a comic actress, never quite capturing the "bitch" quality that goes with playing a villain. And Jessica Biel, who should be the most interesting new character, isn?t given any time to develop her role at all.
Coming after director Guillermo del Toro?s incredible work in "Blade 2,? you have to wonder why he didn?t get to come back for this film. Goyer has written and produced some very good thrillers and I?m sure in the future he?ll have many more, but this final "Blade" film is just a monumental bore. This is one vampire script that could have used some garlic.
Craig's Grade: D
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
