Blade (1998)

Wesley Snipes. Who would have thought that this comedian would bring a lesser known Marvel anti-hero out of obscurity? When the comic book movies were ebbing away, this movie was at risk of bombing if it deviated from the source material. However, it was not a bomb, for having seen Blade's original appearance it was necessary to give him an update.

So what is it about this guy that makes him equal to The Punisher? He seeks revenge against the one who took away his humanity. Eric Brooks was born to a woman who was bitten by a vicious vampire; she died but he lived, but mutated in the process. He became what vampires have dubbed him a "Daywalker", a vampire without a weakness to silver, garlic or sunlight. Blade is the Daywalker, and he is out on his personal assignment to slay this monster Deacon Frost.

So having closely reviewed this movie, there are some strengths to consider. Firstly is the story: much like the comics, Blade must hamper on Frost's ambition to resurrect a blood god. If Frost succeeds, every human would be converted to a bloodsucker, and vampires will roam the earth. So Blade reluctantly enlists the aid of a hematologist who was caught in the web when Quinn fed off of her. Blade shows deep hatred towards vampires, and towards himself as a monster. He derives satisfaction from slaying vampires, but shows no true appreciation of the gifts that every vampire would only dream of. He denounces himself for the loss of his humanity, and he shows a very cold heart and little enthusiasm. The thing about this guy is that despite his cold personality as a result of his past, he did sometime slip out of character (in that scene where the security shoots at him and he lashes out of his cool approach to that of a black stereotype).

Meanwhile, there are some instances of poor CGI work, especially on the blood. Imagery of blood was difficult to perfect with the computer technology of the time, so no wonder it looked like an Aero chocolate bar. Elsewhere the CGI was decent if not great.

Quinn is that character which, I think, Blade should have killed off in the beginning of the film. I mean every minute he hacks off like an infant, and anyone would be better off if he were asked. Quinn is just like a wimp, even Frost finds him particularly annoying. So why does Blade not kill him before the end?

A Marvel move since the disastrous Howard The Duck was not guaranteed to materialize. but this movie eventually took the biscuit. A Marvel equivalent of DC's Batman took of with a different personality from the comics, although he still shuns company except his mentor Abraham Whistler. An upgrade was needed and was least likely to succeed after similar circumstances were unfruitful.