Superhero Action Horror Film Review: Blade

Blade was the film that started the modern Marvel film era and was also the film to usher in the modern superhero era in general. X-Men, released in 2000, is regarded today as the catalyst for the superhero film boom of the 2000s, but Blade, released in 1998, was the film that truly laid the groundwork for what was to come.

Blade is a daywalker, a human born to a mother who was bitten by a vampire while she was pregnant. His mother died giving birth to him, but he survived, gaining the strength of a vampire. However, he does not have a weakness to silver or garlic. He does have the bloodlust, however, which he keeps at bay by drinking a serum developed by Abraham Whistler. The latter found him when he was a teenager, after he was overcome with the need to drink blood after he hit puberty, and taught him to keep his bloodlust at bay.

Now, Blade hunts vampires while searching for the vampire that killed his mother while drinking the serum to keep himself human. On his quest, saves a hematologist named Dr. Karen Jenson who was bitten by a vampire and uncovers a plot by a rogue vampire to take over the world.

The film is very much a 1990s action film, with corny moments of comic relief, the mix of hip-hop, techno, and alternative rock in the soundtrack, and the late-1990s era computer-generated imagery mixed with practical effects. However, there are some things here that give a glimpse of the superhero films that will follow in the next decade. There are some pieces of cinematography that will feel familiar to fans of the later X-Men or Spider-Man films, such as the closeups following liquid flowing through the film's mythical artifact. The choreography of the fight scenes are also top notch, setting the bar for films to come, and remaining among the best parts of the film.

The other part of the film that makes it hold up despite its occasional 90s cheese is the performance of its actors. N'Bushe Wright was great as Dr. Karen Jenson. She was a genuinely strong supporting female character that used her expertise to help Blade and she had the strength to follow him on his mission. Karen also wasn't a love interest, although the chemistry was definitely there. She is the best female supporting character I have ever seen in superhero media. Today's attempts to make a strong female character could take some notes from this film. 

Most importantly, Wesley Snipes was excellent as Blade. As with Robert Downey Jr. with Tony Stark ten years later, this was inspired casting. Wesley Snipes embodies the character so fully that he is Blade. If the Blade reboot ever gets off the ground, there will definitely be big boots to fill.

Blade is a classic film that jumpstarted the modern superhero boom and it deserves its reputation. It has some of the pitfalls of the 1990s cheese that came before it, but it is few and far between. The acting of Wesley Snipes, the fight choreography, and the cinematography make up for any shortcomings. You can already see all of the things that fans came to love in the superhero films of the 2000s in this film. It is well worth watching, especially if you are a fan of turn-of-the-millennium Marvel films.

Final Verdict:

4 out of 5