Oh man! This is so the best comic book adaptation ever! “Superman” is dated and uneven, “Batman” is more about style than substance, “The Crow” is strangely unexciting, “The Phantom” is a lot of fun but a bit childish and “Spawn” is busier with FX than anything else. Now comes “Blade”, a take-no-prisoners flick with more thrills than you could ask for! Wesley Snipes is at his absolute best as Blade, a half human, half vampire badass who wander the streets to hunt down and destroy vampires. Blade has the strength and regeneration powers of the bloodsuckers, but he’s also immune to garlic, silver and daylight. He’s helped in his quest by an aging, shaggy vampire hunter played by Kris Kristofferson, who makes him various lethal weapons such as a titanium sword, machine guns and shotguns packing silver bullets and even a flying guillotine! Covered with tattoos and black leather, Snipes sure looks deadly. His performance is less about acting than attitude. Blade is sort of a cross between Shaft and Sonny Chiba, the kind of guy who always has a sharp one-liner to utter and who’ll solve any problem with violence.

The film introduces a world where vampires are spreading all over between closed doors. An international syndicate of pure vampires try to co-exist with humans, but a new generation thinks they should be ruling them. These young creature of the nights who hang out in raves and hip nightclubs are lead by Deacon Frost, played by the always intense Stephen Dorff. He’s planning to resurrect the Blood God, but first he needs to capture his nemesis Blade, whose mixed blood is the key to vampire domination. The story also involves a black doctor who joins Blade after he saves her from a vampire attack. This ain’t the best written film there is, but it’s quite original and very interesting. What’s really awesome is the direction from Stephen Norrington, one of the most talented newcomers of the MTV school. This sure is a high energy movie, thanks to flashy visuals, stylish lighting and the fast-paced editing. The special FX also kick ass, and most than all, this film is as action-packed as it gets! From the rave shoot-out that opens the film to the apocalyptic swordfight climax, Blade is packed with martial arts, massive gunfire and ultraviolence! This is a B-movie at its best, like Sam Raimi’s “Darkman”.