Ten years ago, in 1989, a comic book super hero film was making its mark on our cinemas. It was dark, sinister, haunting and gothic, but it wasn't Blade, it was Batman. Why talk about Batman in an entry on Blade? Essentially Blade is Batman, but without the Batmobile and with blood instead.

It's worth seeing Blade the movie just for the effect of seeing blood pouring out of the sprinkler system in The Vampire club...

In the film Wesley Snipes plays Blade, a half-human, half-vampire mercenary whose mother dies during childbirth, having been bitten by a vampire. He devotes his life to exacting revenge against the vampires, particularly one radical young half-blood vampire, Frost, who is challenging the old vampire ways.

The film is supposedly based on a comic-book character called Blade. This film is a must see for anyone who is a fan of vampires and action movies.

Plot

Unlike Batman, it's all about vampires intent on drinking blood, taking over the world, and drinking more blood. The hero Blade is all out to stop them, with the usual impressive silver-sword-wielding, kung fu-kicking, and garlic... erm... garlicking.

Blade, like Batman, is an orphan, as his mother was attacked by a vampire before his birth. This is why he is so intent on revenge, and also means he has all of the vampire strengths of super-physical capability, but none of the weaknesses such as being allergic to silver and direct sunlight.

This is all well and good, but he has the distinct disadvantage of suffering from the vampire's blood-lust, which he tries to keep under control with help from his mentor, Whistler¹, who provides a serum to help him. Of course this isn't perfectly safe and he ends up drinking the blood of Karen Jenson, a doctor he rescued from a vampire attack. Surprisingly, as the lead female role she is stunningly attractive and perfectly qualified to develop a new serum that will cure Blade of his vampire side for good.

Blade is a vampire film with a lot of blood and a lot of gore. The emphasis is very strongly on action, with little concern with following any existing vampire story or plot development, but that's what any comic book film is all about.

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¹ The equivalent of Alfred from Batman but with longer hair.