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Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Donal Logue ... see more see more... , Udo Kier , Arly Jover , Traci Lords , Kevin Patrick Walls , Tim Guinee , Sanaa Lathan , Eric Edwards , Kenny Johnson , Carmen Thomas , Donna Wong , Shannon Lee

British director Stephen Norrington helmed this David S. Goyer adaptation of the Marvel Comics character created in 1973 by scripter Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan. In the Tomb of Dracula comic bo... read more read more...ok origin, just before Blade's mother gave birth to Blade, she was bitten by a vampire, which made Blade immune to vampires. Now a vampire hunter, Blade, joined by vampire detective Hannibal King and Dracula-descendent Frank Drake, stalks vampires. In the 1990s (in Marvel's Nightstalkers), Blade teamed with Drake and King in an agency created to fight a variety of supernatural beings. The Marvel origin is retold in this 1998 Norrington film, with Blade's mother dying as he is born. Thirty-some years later, Blade now exists somewhere between the two worlds, not human but not fully vampire. He has become a relentless and superhuman vampire hunter, out to avenge the death of his mother and protect the rest of humankind from the evil vampire race. In this pursuit, Blade storms a notorious vampire nightclub and in a virtual bloodbath manages to wipe out most of the blood-lusting denizens. But the burnt corpse of vampire Quinn (Donal Logue) is reanimated at the hospital morgue and bites hematologist Karen Jenson (N'Bushe Wright). Blade magically appears at the hospital just in time to whisk Karen to his hideaway, a machine-shop run by his mentor Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), who once rescued Blade and who now produces a antidote to keep Blade from turning into a full-fledged vampire and who builds custom weapons for Blade to use against his evil foes. Meanwhile, Blade's vampire arch-nemesis Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) uses computers to translate the Book of Erebus, with the ultimate aim of bringing down the old-guard vampire council, headed by Dragonetti (Udo Kier), and triggering the Blood Tide -- an event in which everyone in the world becomes a vampire. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

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78% liked it

463,708 ratings

Critics

55% liked it

84 critics

R, 2 hr.

Directed by: Stephen Norrington

Release Date: August 21, 1998

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DVD Release Date: December 22, 1998

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Stats: 21,764 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (21,764)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    January 16, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Blade for me changed the style of the vampire film...and not in a good way. I just can't grasp the idea behind this film. I like action horror flicks, but there was something with Blade that just didn't click with me. I thought that Wesley Snipes was terrible here, and that that ... read morehe wasn't right for the part. The film could have been better if they hired a different lead, and reworked the script. Unfortunately this is a film that just doesn't deliver, not for me anyways. I felt that the film lacked anything interesting to really make a fun viewing experience. The action was repetitive and boring. Director Stephen Norrington tried to deliver a different style of vampire, and for that I do applaud his effort at trying to do something refreshing with the genre, but the end result isn't impressive. Overall Blade was a bad film with no redeeming factors. The film is a dud, and I don't see why the film has gotten the praise it has received; this film film simply does not work. I'm more a fan of the traditional vampire films, I enjoyed the first Underworld film, as it kept the vampire overtones almost intact, but with Blade; I just don't like the half man, half vampire angle of the character. Also with the fact that the plot didn't do anything to entertain me. I thought the cast was poorly chosen, and the didn't deliver anything great on-screen. Blade is a mediocre to bad film that never succeed at being memorable. Blade is a waste of time, and as an action horror film, it doesn't succeed. The filmmakers went for style instead of content, and that clearly shows on-screen, as the plot suffers big time and this is a straight forward effects driven film.
  • garyX
    October 24, 2011
    garyX
    A half-human half-vampire warrior who hunts and kills his would-be brethren is captured by his arch enemy who plots to use his blood to raise a vampire god. Blade was one of the first of the new generation of re-invented vampire flicks and it has lost some of it's impact because ... read moreof it's host of imitators. I'm not the biggest fan of Wesley Snipes, but no-one could've portrayed the character better and Dorff (who is clearly inspired by Kiefer Sutherland in the Lost Boys) makes a charismatic post-Lestat villain. It begins very strongly, introducing the comic book hero in a literal blood bath of frenetic action and the character dynamics work really well. Unfortunately the film seems to lose steam more and more as it goes; the chosen one of prophesy plot is a little hackneyed and when Blade is captured and therefore not kicking vampire ass it starts to stutter and stall. It also manages to save what are easily the worst effects of the film for its big finale but the action sequences are executed with real panache and it's very stylishly done as a whole and serves as a solid foundation for its superior sequel.
  • phubbs1
    October 11, 2011
    phubbs1
    This was a good vamp action flick but has lost abit of its appeal. The finale with the blood monster is really crap but there's plenty to like here. The look is kinda James Bond as a vampire with lots of gadgets and is true to the comic book, it also sticks to the adult theme nic... read moreely. Check the stylish and fantastic battle in the nightclub at the start, accompanied by the amazing hardhouse Public Domain track 'Operation Blade', true adrenaline rush.

    Dorff is quite chilling as 'Frost' and he is accompanied by a lovely mix of oddballs for his vampire clan, Udo Kier is of course fantastic as the main Vamp council leader, can't go wrong there.

    As said I think this has lost me slightly over the years, it was hot stuff when first released but for some reason it just doesn't hold the same appeal anymore. It has aged badly I think and does look a little tacky in places now plus the techno feel seems rather old too.

    Would like to see a more gothic version maybe, dare I say...in a reboot someday.
  • fb729949618
    September 30, 2011
    fb729949618
    Saw Blade a long time before I was a teen and thought this movie was badass. To this day, I still feel the same. Blood, guts, and Wesley Snipes as a vampire killer.......what's not to love?
  • cosmo313
    August 18, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is a very fun and stylish action/horror flick. It's based on a comic, but it took me many years to finally figure that out. It kinda makes sense though, sense this has that sort of a vibe to it, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

    The story concerns a half-human, half-... read morevampire hunter named Blade who has all of the strengths of vampires, but with none of their weaknesses. The film follows him as he goes on quests (with the help of his older, but awesome mentor Whistler) to stop a group of vampires from going through with a plan to achieve global dominance.

    The film is slick, action paced, nicely paced, and filled with tons of violence and good effects. Wesley Snipes is great as the hip Blade, and Kristofferson shines as Whistler. Stephen Dorff is awesome as the primary antagonist Deacon Frost, and he brings a lot of menace and wit to the role.

    The film has a great look, tons of style (as mentioned already), and it is super entertaining and watchable. It was cool when it first came out, and it still holds up pretty well. See it if you haven't already, ands give it a rewatch if you have.
  • FilmFanatik
    July 2, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    To be fair, it took me a long time to warm up to this movie. I don't really know why. Perhaps I was being snobby toward it. In any case, I really like it now, and love to pop it on for a good time. It's not perfect, of course. The dialogue is a little questionable, but then again... read more, in most of these sorts of movies, the dialogue is usually questionable. Not a big deal though, because the story and the action are what's important here, and this one has a lot of both. :)
  • blkbomb
    June 7, 2011
    blkbomb
    The start to Blade was awesome. The movie had cool concepts and ideas. With that said, I did not like the movie. What ruined it for me was Wesley Snipes as Blade. Every piece of dialogue he said, he whispered in a raspy voice. It was annoying as fuck. Every time he was about to t... read morealk, I cringed. It is disappointing, but just good enough to make me curious about the sequel, especially since Guillermo del Toro directed it.
  • fb535316333
    May 26, 2011
    fb535316333
    Not exactly a bad story, but the execution of it all felt clumsy with an overdose of action that all starts feeling the same near the end. Another adrenaline pumping super-hero flick that really doesn't warrant much of a watch.
  • DreamExtractor
    April 5, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    I really liked Blade, it was much better than Underworld. The acting was good, the plot was okay, and the action was awesome. Besides a bumpy plot, and whiny characters at points, this is a really solid movie, I liked it.
  • allan913
    March 3, 2011
    allan913
    It's exhilarating entertainment. It's pure pulse-pounding and adrenaline-pumping action from start to finish. A slick, stylish and incredibly entertaining action-horror flick. Wesley Snipes gives a intense and furious performance. It rocks the screen with it's cool story and chil... read moreling suspense. Stephen Dorff is sensational. A well-crafted and tremendously entertaining film that totally rocks.

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Alspector
April 18, 2007
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader

Hopelessly dated before its release. Full Review

Dennis Harvey
April 18, 2007
Dennis Harvey, Variety

Though slick and diverting in some aspects, increasingly silly pic has trouble meshing disparate elements -- horror, superhero fantasy, straight-up action -- into a workable whole. Full Review

Liam Lacey
April 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

There are lots of stunts, chase sequences and so much computer morphing that the effects house must have been offering it at discount. Full Review

Tom Long
January 1, 2000
Tom Long, Detroit News

Lots of exploding heads and oceans of blood, moves fast and with no discernible meaning but looks good. Full Review

Justine Elias
January 1, 2000
Justine Elias, Village Voice

Children of the night, what disgusting movies they make. Full Review

Paul Tatara
January 1, 2000
Paul Tatara, CNN.com

My question is, if audiences are trying so desperately to escape whatever's got them all worked up in their daily lives, how is this any better? Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
January 1, 2000
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The sort of glittering trash pile that makes you dread the words comic-book movie. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Big as it is, Blade is meticulous and subtle, not just in its camera technique but in the way it works its themes and creates a mood. Full Review

Stephen Holden
January 1, 2000
Stephen Holden, New York Times

A cartoonish futuristic action-adventure yarn. Full Review

Sean Means
January 1, 2000
Sean Means, Film.com

Goyer's script predicably alternates from scenes of Snipes brooding and Snipes kicking vampire butt.

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Facts

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    • Blade: When you understand the nature of a thing...you know what it's capable of.
    • Blade: [to Frost] I promise you, you'll be dead by dawn.
    • Blade: Some motherfuckers are always trying to ice-skate uphill.
    • Deacon Frost: I'll tell you what we are sister, we're the top of the fucking food chain. The blood god is coming, and after tonight you people are fucking history.
  • If you remember the scene where Karen and Deacon were discussing about the cure for vampirism, the initial scene was a little longer. It even touched on the subject of farming humans in body bags to sustain all vampires if everyone became a vampire. ... read moreThis discussion was later incorporated into the third installment of "Blade", titled "Blade: Trinity".
  • The film's total body count is 88.
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  • In blade 1 what type of god was deacon frost turned into?  Answer »
  • What do the vampires in the 'Blade' movies know Blade as?  Answer »
  • What was the name of Hannibal King's vampire hunters group in "Blade: Trinity"?  Answer »
  • Which year was "Blade Runner" released?  Answer »
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