Blade
New Line Home Video
2.35:1/16x9/Dolby Digital 5.1/
My Original Review From August, 1998:
Well, I was in the mood for an action movie when I sat down, and "Blade" wasn't dissapointing. The story of a half human/half vampire who tries to rid the world of the vampires living among us, well, it wasn't half bad.
Wesley Snipes plays the title character very well. This simply isn't a part that really requires acting. It just requires being able to be one mean looking guy. To have that vibe. And cool weapons always helps. There are a couple of very well done fight scenes, especially one in the begining of the film where Blade breaks up a dance party the vampires are holding to lure humans into their trap.
The special effects aren't too terribly great, but the film's style and the tone help move it past the sore spots(little things like lack of script and much to the characters personality or background.)
I simply loved the serious tone of the film. It's a straightforward, old-fashioned, well done and very exciting thriller. One of those films where you walk in, you're on the edge of your seat for a couple hours, and you forget about the world for a while.
The story is like this: Deacon Frost(played very well by Stephen Dorff), wants to take over the world and rise to the top of the vampires in leading an apocolyptic war with the humans. Blade, who was born right after his mother was bitten, is half human, half vampire.
New Line, the studio that released "Blade", is well-known for their genre films, like "Dark City" and "Spawn". Although this film is on the negative side in terms of this review, it's still the most successful comic book adaptation or genre film that I've seen in a while, with only "The Crow" being the better genre film in memory.
In fact, "Blade" was written by the same scripter that wrote "Dark City"."City", the film that came out early this year about a race of alien beings who watched over a group of humans on a far-off planet, wasn't terribly successful, but became a cult hit based on the strength of it's visuals and story. I think that, in a small sense, "Blade" tries for the same tone, the same sense of gloom. It doesn't come near the strangeness of "City", but the sort of diluted sense of gloom works very well here. It helps to have a serious tone that works when there's lines like, "There's worse things out tonight then vampires." "Like what?" "Me."
Blade also works for that old-fashioned simple practice of making the audience feel like there's something or someone about to jump out of every corner.
"Blade" doesn't always work. It's a bit too long at 2 hours, and some of the time, the film drags a bit. If you're not in the mood for a good, loud, mindless actioner or that's not your cup of tea, stay away from "Blade". If good, mindless fun is what you're looking for, "Blade" is a good way to pass a late Summer afternoon. If you do decide to see the film, see it in the biggest local theater with the loudest digital sound. "Blade", aside from being a decent actioner, is quite a noise-fest.
Watching it at home: I liked "Blade" quite a bit more watching it on the DVD format; Snipes has a perfect performance, and after listening to the commentary and watching the extras, I can appreciate what it took to make the film far more. Recommended.
The Disc:
The Picture:New Line has done an outstanding job with this 16x9 transfer
Colors are sharp and defined with an electric sheen. I do agree with some comments
that the picture has a touch more blue tint than it had in the theaters, but overall the picture
quality is absolutely excellent. Scenes that are dark and shadowy have outstanding shadow definition, and the strobe lighting looks rich and perfect. Contrast is 100% perfect. A flawless transfer again from New Line.
The Sound:Woah. "Blade" delivers in terms of sound like few discs I've ever heard before. Scenes like the opening club party really pump through the speakers.
The mix is agressive, loud and sonic with bullets flying around all over the place, swords clanging and vampires running around. The final sword fight in the end is sonically fantastic.
For some deep bass, try the isloated score audio a little bit into chapter 27 when the drums start. Dialogue sounds great and there's a whole lot of audio action involved.
Menus: Inventive and fascinating. If you choose "special features", the screen moves horizontally over to another menu, where when you choose a feature, the screen turns into a computer where your selection appears on the screen.
It's hard to explain, but it's super cool. The scene selection is animated in a menu that's in the lair of the Whistler character. The scenes play on little animated monitors in the set. Really the most incredible menu designs I've seen so far.
Features:
Scene access menu with links to 38 chapters in the film
Running audio commentary by Blade star and Producer Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Writer David S. Goyer, Director of Photography Theo Van De Sande, Production Designer Kirk M. Petruccelli and Producer Peter Frankfurt
Isolated score with commentary by composer Mark Isham
Four Documentaries, about 10-20min. each:
La Magra: Deleted scenes, an alternate ending(pretty darn cool, even though the FX aren't quite completed).
Designing Blade: Documentary on the film's special effects, production design, etc. The way that the special effects are shown being built on computer is fascinating.
The Origins of Blade: A history of "dark" comic books like "Blade". Interviews as well.
The Blood Tide: A look at real life vampirism.
Pencil to post: A look at pencil sketches of the comic as well as the film's production.
Original theatrical trailer.
Cast and Crew biographies and filmographies.
Features Accessible From DVD-Rom(computer)only:
The early draft of the screenplay, where you can access scenes from clicking on the script:
Highlights of "Blade" at the comic convention.
Web links.
Overview: This is one of the very best discs I've seen. Packed with featured for a great, great price, New Line has done an absolutely outstanding job again with their discs. Wild menus,
outstanding sound and picture quality, tons of extras, interviews and even computer features. Very, very highly recommended.
