BUY THE DVD:
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SYNOPSIS:
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blade, now a wanted man by the fbi, must join forces with the nightstalkers to face his most challenging enemy yet: dracula.
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MOVIE FACT:
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an early idea by david s. goyer for the film was to be set many years after the events of the last film, where vampires finally had achieved world domination and enslaved all humans, with blade being the last hope for humanity. blade's slower aging could be explained by his vampire blood. the storyline was deemed too dark and was later dropped.
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RATING:
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two out of four possible stars
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In this, the third film of the successful "Blade" series of vampire movies, in which star Wesley Snipes has found a recent buoy for his established career, the producers of the film seem to have been much more interested in garnering the favor of advertisers such as Apple Computers rather than in creating a volatile and gripping feature film. Sporting a pair of the now familiar white headphones that belong to the Apple "Ipod," Jessica Biel's character apparently likes to kick ass using only the latest in digital accompaniment.
This insertion of pure advertising into the film might not have been so noticeable if fellow vampire hunter Ryan Reynolds (playing "Hannibal King") hadn't actually engaged in a conversation regarding the little machine and Biel's stack of MP3s. The audience will learn precious little of the characters' personal stories beyond the snippets of sarcastic dialogue offered up by Reynolds' character. Although Blade: Trinity is most certainly an action film, laced with bared midriffs, heavy artillery and various martial arts movies at every turn, regarding character strength, this third film is definitely the weakest in the series.
Although all action films usually possess a hearty degree of such standard elements as unrealistic fight sequences, bawdy dialogue, and witty one-liners, Trinity seems to take those basic, necessary elements and go no further with creativity. Modern viewers have seen enough action films to have witnessed nearly every possible permutation regarding martial arts malaise, but it's possible still to take the audience in a different direction (notice the success of Kill Bill) This film resembles far too many of its predecessors with is chaotic fight sequences where everyone just happens to have a few black belts in Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do.
Where the film usually jumps off the screen is in its special effects. One of the most recognizable elements of a vampire movie is the requisite scenes showing an unfortunate vampire or three succumbing to the heat of the sun and disintegrating like an instantly cremated body. With the aid of ever-more advanced CGI, the artists responsible for the computer generated effects in this film put an incredible amount of creativity into the screen and it is their talent that gives the film an exciting edge that the plot fails to find.
Possessing a Cracker Jack story is far from the most important thing in an action film, though it can really make a film's fortunes soar if the plot is impressive. With the predictable plot, it's impossible to believe that the writer/director, David S. Goyer, could have pushed the story any further into the "has been" and "already done." When the mighty and powerful Dracula (skillfully played by Dominic Purcell) is summoned back to the "life" of the undead by a group of rogue vampires, it is only Blade who can save the world and all of its mere mortals from the grips of a vampire-ruled planet. All Blade needs is the help of a duo of gorgeous specimens of human in order to accomplish this task.
Snipes' co-stars, Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, playing a pair of vampire hunters, both seem to be able to hold their own regarding the high intensity fight sequences, but for all their talent regarding the physicality of their roles, it feels too often as though both actors were chosen for their peak physical conditions rather than what they would contribute to the emotional content of the film. With several one-liners at his disposal, Reynolds is perhaps the most unfortunate of the crew as his jokes often fail to hit the mark. Though whether that is due to the quality of the dialogue or Reynolds' abilities as an actor is debatable. With some of the more intense moments of the script handled easily by Reynolds (his interaction with vampiress Parker Posey are rather juicy), it's possible he simply doesn't have the penchant for comedy. Of course, Reynolds' weak comedic efforts might also find blame with the writer/director, given the overall weakness of Goyer's script.
If one were to judge the film as a stand-alone piece of entertainment, Blade: Trinity probably would exist as a decent piece of vampire lore pumped full of all the special effects one might expect in the genre. But in comparing it to the first two installments, it is in no way as gripping as the first episode and is moderately weaker than the second film. Although the special effects have been improving with each addition to the series, the first film displayed a healthy mystery and engaging plot.
As viewers, we know that Blade won't react with welcome to the newcomers of the series, his nubile vampire hunting "teammates," Hannibal King (Reynolds) and Abigail Whistler (Biel). We know that Blade will engage in a showdown with Dracula and that the movie won't be over until the two come face to face. Some viewers, especially fans of the genre, might be content with the film's mediocre dramatic offerings, but the movie probably won't attract new viewers to the series.
Perhaps continuing the creative momentum of the film's original idea is simply proved impossible, as neither this film nor the second in the series were really worthy of universal acclaim. It seems to be an accepted fact in all sequels that don't involve Italian mobsters or CGI children’s toys that any sequel will fail to capture the inspiration of the original. Lucky will the viewer be who discovers a film whose sequel is as worthy as the original. Blade: Trinity, as an action film and a vampire movie, comes to the starting line with some impressive elements, but it is far from being a thoroughly engaging experience. Non-fans of the performers beware: it might be difficult to keep interest in the film beyond its well-done special effects. Now, go get that Ipod!
Review by Kelsey Wyatt.
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