BLADE II


US, 2002, 17 minutes, Colour.
Wesley Snipes, Chris Kristofferson, Norman Reedus, Leanor Varela, Thomas Kretschmer, Luke Goss.
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro.

The first Blade film was grim and gory, very gory. Blade comes from a netherworld of action comics (leading to violent computer games) where wrong is righted but in a larger than life and death manner and with no holds (or weapons) barred. Wesley Snipes was the half vampire who emerges from the night as a champion of the oppressed.

This is more or less what he does in this sequel. However, it is even grimmer and even gorier. The plot is pretty complicated with Blade trying to help his mentor (Kris Kristofferson) to recover from attacks by a new family of vampires (in Prague where the film was made) who prey on vampires. The plot then defies easy synopses as vampire lords combine their violent conquest with scientific investigations. By then, many will have wearied of the ugliness. Others who relish the horror, will be caught up in the swirling action and special effects as Wesley Snipes wants to prove once and for all that he is a top action star. The director is Guillermo del Toro whose films include the horror thriller Mimic and the fascinating dramas with touches of horror, Cronos and the excellent, The Devil's Backbone. Oh well. Ugly.


1. The impact and popularity of the initial film? A sequel and then a further sequel?

2. The work of the writer, his expertise in horror films? The work at the director? Of Blade, of Hellboy, of Pacific Rim?

3. The Prague setting, the beauty and the ugliness, the streets, the underpasses, the nightclubs? The headquarters for vampires? For the hunters? The scientific laboratories and their extent? Musical score?

4. Audience familiarity with Blade, half human, half vampire, able to walk in the light? His mission to exterminate vampires? The various battle scenes and the eliminations, the vampires going up in flames? His personality, single-minded, martial arts skills? His long friendship with Whistler?

5. Whistler, in captivity, vampirised, the rescue, the elaborate battles? His coming back to the laboratory? Scud and his wary comments to Blade? Whistler going back to work? Blade and his being wary, keeping friends close, enemies closer? Whistler and his personality, the back story from the first film?

6. The mutant in the streets, the drug dealer trying to interest him, the mutant turning on him and taking the blood? His travelling through Prague night, the clubs, seeking victims? The elimination of vampires? The revelation about his story, his father, leader of the vampire group, sending out into the world as an experiment, abandoning him?

7. The presentation of vampires, in Prague in the eastern European tones, at the clubs, their modern style and music and dancing, yet hidden from the world?

8. Blade being taken underground, the leader of the vampires, the discussions, the deal, the invitation to Blade to join the vampire team to eliminate the vampires in newtons? The irony of the vampire group in training two years, to pursue and capture Blade? Whistler and Scud being part of the team? Lisa and her attraction to Blade, his later rescuing her and saving her life?

9. The search, going through the streets, to the places where vampires lived? The elaborate battles?

10. Lisa, her being wounded, discovering the truth about her father, his covers words to her, signs being most important? Her being saved by Blade?

11. Blade and his understanding that there was information from inside? Betrayal? Scud and his speech, his being revealed as the traitor? His despising Blade? His death?

12. The group of hunters? The various personalities, ethnic backgrounds? The role of the lawyer and his dealings with the leader, confrontations with Blade?

13. Reinhardt, his being part of the group, the explosive device put on his head, continual confrontations with Blade, despising him, the final confrontation, the fight and his death? Split asunder?

14. Blade, the capture, Whistler being captured, the lawyer, the planned to get Blade’s blood, on the surgery table, the spikes through his feet? Whistler coming to save him?

15. The build-up to the final fight, the leader and his treachery, setting things in motion? His son coming to him, he is trying to persuade his son of the truth, his death?

16. Lisa, her not wanting to die inside, going with Blade to the roof, the sun rising and her death?

17. A mix of popular ingredients for action and horror fans?