| 
Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
One
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES (EXTENDED VERSION): Disc One: Commentary
One with writer/director/producer David Goyer, Ryan Reynolds and
Jessica Biel. Commentary two with writer/director/producer David
Goyer, producers Peter Frankfurt and Lynn Harris, cinematographer
Gabriel Beristain, production designer Chris Gorak and editor
Howard E.Smith. Animated menus.
Disc Two: Daywalkers, Nightstalkers & Familiars: Inside the
World of Blade: Trinity (16 featurettes). Goyer on Goyer –
The Writer Interviews the Director. Alternate ending. Blooper
reel. Galleries. Trailers.
CINEMA VERSION: Daywalkers, Nightstalkers & Familiars:
Inside the World of Blade: Trinity (16 featurettes). Goyer on
Goyer – The Writer Interviews the Director. Alternate ending.
Blooper reel. Galleries. Trailers.
HAVING been forced to endure a toothless Summer, due to the highly
inept Van Helsing, vampire
fans should be able to find solace once more as their favourite
butt-kicking slayer returns for another slice of blood-soaked
attitude and mayhem.
Blade: Trinity marks the third and possibly final film in the
Marvel Comic series chronicling the attempts of Wesley Snipes'
eponymous vampire-human hybrid to rid the world of Dracula and
his like.
But far from being the barn-storming finale we might have expected,
Trinity suffers from a testosterone overload which threatens to
outstay its welcome.
What's more, its central villains - including old Dracula himself
(played by Dominic Purcell) - lack any real menace, appearing
more camp and comic than threatening and scary, and undermining
the overall tone as a result.
|
 |
It comes as a complete contrast to
Blade 2's Creapers, who managed
to disgust as well as chill, despite casting Luke Goss as the
main villain, and which benefited from Guillermo Del Toro's distinctive
style behind the camera.
That said, there is still plenty of fun to be had for the Friday
night popcorn brigade, not least in Blade's new accomplices -
Jessica Biel's Abigail, daughter of Kris Kristofferson's Whistler,
and Ryan Reynolds' wise-cracking former vampire, Hannibal King,
who both represent the Nightstalkers, a new form of ally in the
war against the fanged ones.
The premise centres around the re-emergence of Dracula and the
inevitable threat he poses to mankind, yet plot plays distinctly
second fiddle to the set pieces, which come thick and fast.
Hence, when we're not witnessing Snipes' kicking five bells out
of vampires, then it's Abigail or King getting in on the action,
and twirling all manner of nifty weapons to boot (not to mention
wise-cracks).
And for the most part, it's impressively staged with several
of the fight sequences getting the pulse-quickening; but there
is also a tendency to overcook the special effects, while the
pumped-up soundtrack lends each set piece the feel of an MTV video.
The action remains the best thing about the movie, however, as
it comes at the expense of any substance and almost leaves audiences
feeling as empty and drained as one of the vampires' victims.
What's more, it's difficult to fathom why Dracula has been so
poorly represented in recent movies, with Purcell failing to register
any sort of impression as the supposedly mightiest vampire of
them all.
His face-off with Blade isn't the high-point we might have expected
and ends the movie on a slightly under-whelming note - especially
since series writer-turned-director, David Goyer, simply cannot
resist the temptation to leave the franchise open for a possible
return.
Snipes, too, turns in a particularly one-note performance, seemingly
content to pass on any franchise possibilities to his two young
proteges (who would probably do well on their own).
Blade: Trinity is just about worth seeing for any fans of the
series and does deliver its fair share of thrills. But if you
don't go in expecting too much, you might just have a better time.
|
