Blade II *** (2002, Wesley Snipes. Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Thomas Kretschmann, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus, Luke Goss) – Classic Movie Review 1066

Wesley Snipes returns as in director Guillermo del Toro’s 2002 sequel to the 1998 hit Blade, as Marv Wolfman’s cartoon superhero Blade, a vampire-hunter swordsman who’s half-vampire himself, but gets out in the daytime with the help of a magic potion.

This time, he’s got a new breed of mutant vampire-feeding bloodsuckers to contend with as his enemy – they’re called the Reapers, have lethal body parts and feed off their own kind – and he reluctantly teams up with his lifelong foes to defeat a hoard of them.

There’s a feast of fights and non-stop action in this blood-thirsty, gore-soaked, but thrilling and very welcome brain-in-neutral action entertainment sequel.

Kris Kristofferson is also back from part one, loyal again in support as Snipes’s old kung fu master, Abraham Whistler, though he apparently died in the 1998 film. Del Toro finds space for his Hellboy (2004) star Ron Perlman as Reinhardt, and Thomas Kretschmann, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus and Luke Goss are also cast.

It’s again written by David S Goyer and based on Marv Wolfman’s Marvel Comics superhero cartoon.

Second sequel and final part of the trilogy: Blade: Trinity (2004).

©(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 1066 derekwinnert.com