Themes: Race Against Time, Lone Wolves, Heroic Mission
Main Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 116 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Four years after scoring a box-office touchdown with Blade (1998), actor Wesley Snipes returns to portray the Marvel Comics character again in this sequel that teams him with Mexican horror director Guillermo del Toro. A half-vampire, half-human hybrid, Blade (Snipes) is a merciless vampire hunter bent on destroying the bloodsuckers that feed on humanity. The keys to Blade's success are a serum that allows him to resist the urge for blood and an array of inventive, deadly weapons, both of which were once supplied by his mentor, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Since Whistler's death, Blade has relocated to Prague and recruited the pot-smoking slacker Scud (Norman Reedus) to take the place of his father figure, but then he discovers that Whistler's not dead after all: He's been infected with the vampire virus. Reunited with Whistler, Blade is dealt an even bigger surprise: His greatest enemy, vampire leader Damaskinos (Thomas Kretschmann), wants to make peace with him. It seems that the vampires are facing a greater threat than Blade and hope to persuade him to fight the Reapers, a mutated super-race of vampires on a rampage of murder, indiscriminately killing both humans and their fellow bloodsuckers while sucking their victims dry. Blade agrees to a truce and joins the Bloodpack, an elite squad of commandos originally formed to fight Blade himself. Soon, the vampire soldiers discover that the virus responsible for creating their enemies is spreading rapidly and can be traced back to a mysterious "Patient Zero." Blade 2 (2002) co-stars Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Donnie Yen, and Matt Schulze. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Review
Wesley Snipes remains the perfect incarnation of the comic book vampire hunter Blade in this intense, bloody sequel that marks a new advance in the world of special effects. Director Guillermo Del Toro (Mimic, The Devil's Backbone) has a strong record in the horror genre and he manages to avoid the many traps of doing a sequel due in large part to David S. Goyer's strong script. In smartly resurrecting the half-human, half-vampire hero's seemingly dead partner, Whistler, Goyer has brought back actor Kris Kristofferson who delivers a gritty, blue-collar performance that gives the steely, impersonal Blade a colorful foil. From there, Goyer's story puts the duo, along with a new helper (Norman Reedus), in an uneasy alignment with the vampire race against an almost indestructible super-breed of vampire. This straightforward setup allows Del Toro and his team (including noted Hong Kong fight coordinator Donnie Yen) to focus on the choreography of the film's plentiful fight scenes. The result is an action-packed hybrid of horror and martial arts that is easily one of the most exciting and most impressive displays of monster and special makeup effects to hit the screen since John Carpenter's 1982 creature extravaganza The Thing. The hundreds of effects shots reflects a collaboration of multiple effects companies doing visuals, prosthetics, makeup and CGI -- all of which come together in a seamless, visually stunning package. Throw in a fully charged club soundtrack and a Snipes performance that combines a ton of toughness with just enough sensitivity to make him (somewhat) human, and you've got a fantastic genre sequel that has style and cool to spare. ~ Patrick Legare, All Movie Guide
Elinor Rose Galbraith - Art Director, Jaromir Svarc - Art Director, James F. Truesdale - Art Director, Nancy Foy - Casting, Jeremy Zimmerman - Casting, Mike Mignola - Consultant/advisor, Jon Divens - Co-producer, Andrew J. Horne - Co-producer, Wendy Partridge - Costume Designer, Guillermo del Toro - Director, Peter Amundson - Editor, Lionel Johnson - Editor, Michael De Luca - Executive Producer, David S. Goyer - Executive Producer, Stan Lee - Executive Producer, Avi Arad - Executive Producer, Toby Emmerich - Executive Producer, Lynn Harris - Executive Producer, Donnie Yen - Fights Choreographer, Marco Beltrami - Composer (Music Score), Danny Saber - Composer (Music Score), Buck Sanders - Composer (Music Score), Happy Walters - Musical Direction/Supervision, Steve Johnson - Makeup Special Effects, Carol Spier - Production Designer, Gabriel Beristain - Cinematographer, Wesley Snipes - Producer, Patrick Palmer - Producer, Peter Frankfurt - Producer, Spectral Motion Incorporated - Special Effects, David S. Goyer - Screenwriter, Danny Saber - Additional Music
The Blade II soundtrack to the relatively large-budgeted, B-movie sequel starring Wesley Snipes is the third in a series of soundtrack records that Happy Walters of Immortal Records assembled. The first, for the movie Judgment Night, included hip-hop and rock acts pairing up for new songs, and the second was for Spawn and featured electronica and hard rock acts. For Blade II, it's hip-hop and electronica acts, and Walters has assembled many of the biggest names in both genres. Electronica can work perfectly with hip-hop, adding a lot of fancier beats and grooves and making the songs distinctive from the usual hip-hop soundtrack. Among the best tracks are Eve and Fatboy Slim teaming up on "Cowboy," and even better is Ice Cube and Paul Oakenfold on "Right Here, Right Now," a song that's reminiscent of Cube's over-the-top performance on the huge single "We Be Clubbin'." Both of these tracks are catchy enough to be huge rap radio hits. Redman also adds plenty of character to his teaming with the Gorillaz, "Gorillaz on My Mind," a silly tune backed by some super funky music and some smooth background vocals. ~ Adam Bregman, All Music Guide
Cypress Hill (Performer), Ice Cube (Performer), Massive Attack (Performer), Moby (Producer), Redman (Performer), Paul Oakenfold (Producer), Paul Oakenfold (Mixing), Martin Brumbach (Remixing), Busta Rhymes (Performer), Norman Cook (Producer), Stephen Erdody (Cello), Eve (Performer), Brian Gardner (Mastering), Endre Granat (Violin), Scott Humphrey (Mixing), Alan Kaplan (Trombone), Tom Morello (Producer), Muggs (Producer), Steve Osborne (Producer), Steve Osborne (Mixing), Danny Saber (Bass), Danny Saber (Guitar), Danny Saber (Programming), Danny Saber (Producer), Danny Saber (Mixing), Mystikal (Performer), Robert "3D" del Naja (Arranger), Robert "3D" del Naja (Producer), Robert "3D" del Naja (Mixing), BT (Programming), BT (Producer), BT (Engineer), Roni Size (Producer), Fatboy Slim (Performer), The Crystal Method (Producer), Dan the Automator (Producer), Dave Parker (Music Coordinator), Kid Koala (Scratching), Peter Frankfurt (Soundtrack Executive Producer), Frank Gryner (Mixing), Wesley Snipes (Soundtrack Executive Producer), Alex Swift (Programming), Happy Walters (Soundtrack Producer), Groove Armada (Producer), Silkk the Shocker (Performer), Simon Thornton (Engineer), Simon Thornton (Mix Down), Trina (Performer), Mos Def (Performer), Mocean Worker (Producer), Mocean Worker (Remixing), Dub Pistols (Producer), Marco Beltrami (Producer), Marco Beltrami (Orchestration), Volume 10 (Producer), Volume 10 (Performer), Bob Bowen (Music Executive), Static Revenger (?), Jadakiss (Performer), Mitch Rotter (Soundtrack Executive Producer), Matthew Lindauer (Art Direction), Matthew Lindauer (Design), Cynthia Sexton (Executive in Charge of Music), Bubba Sparxxx (Performer), John Richard Lewis (Trumpet), Gorillaz (Producer), Fabolous (Performer), Guillermo del Toro (Soundtrack Executive Producer), Jeff Farley (Soundtrack Producer)
Marvel Comics' vampire-fighting superhero sinks his fangs into the PlayStation 2 in a 3D action title inspired by the March 2002 film starring Wesley Snipes as the title character. As the half-human, half-vampire Blade, players must combat vampires and zombies alike across a series of levels divided into three campaigns: The Karkov Tower, Lairs of the Buron, and The Arcan Mountain Base. Using Blade's skills in martial arts, edged weapons, and in throwing projectiles, players fight through multiple environments on their way to finding the exit leading to the next area.
Blade II features a technique called 360° combat, allowing players to fight multiple enemies surrounding the character using the right analog stick. By pointing the stick in the direction of an enemy, Blade will carry out a punch or a kick. Defeating vampires and collecting glyphs (icons found along the ground) earns players points needed to unlock additional weapons. Bonus points are also earned by completing sub-objectives for each mission, such as destroying a specific number of cars, computers, or motorcycles. As players string together the hand-to-hand moves, Blade's bloodlust will increase, enabling him to use rage attacks.
Three levels of rage exist, each dictated by the amount of bloodlust Blade has acquired. The first level of rage allows the character to unsheathe his sword for a limited amount of time, while the remaining two levels add temporary invulnerability and enhanced combat power to the mix. In addition to melee attacks, Blade can fight enemies using a variety of weapons. Each mission begins with an equipment selection screen, allowing Blade to carry a limited amount of firepower to help him combat his vampire foes. Tools of the trade include a shotgun, mach pistol, glaive, serum, reinforced armor, silver knuckle duster, and UV grenades.
Both the shotgun and mach pistol require ammunition, which can also be selected as part of the equipment before a mission begins. Additional clips and shells can usually be found along the ground or tucked away behind an object or two. Health packs are also available on each stage to replenish Blade's life. Blade II includes a separate tutorial conducted by friend and confidant Whistler, who will teach the Daywalker how to fight, block, jump, target enemies, and strafe. Progress during the game can be saved to memory card after each mission or from special save points found within certain levels.
~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide
Production Credits
Company 1: Mucky Foot; Coding: Mark Adami, Mark Baker, Mike Diskett, Tom Forsyth, Willem H. de-Boer, John Hillier, Tom Ireland, Mark Rose, Matt Rosenfeld; Art: Mark Smart, John Steeles, Richard Franke, Stuart Black, Tom Kyffin, Andrew Hodgson, Fin McGechie, Gary Carr; Design: Simon Keating; Animation Consultant: Ollie Shaw, Chris Knott, Jim Southworth; Music and Sound: Martin Oliver; Project Manager: Mike Burnham; Q.A.: Darren King, Karl Zielinski; Game Scripting: Simon Keating, James Leach; Technical Support: Marie Colwell; Financial Manager: Craig Smyth; Additional Testing: Richard Briggs, Paul Conry, Charlie Cooper, Gordon Cameron, James Beck, Christopher Wrench; Voice Casting and Production: Martin Oliver; Voice of Blade: Tom Clarke; Voice of Whistler: Don Delciappo; Voice of Dr. Grant: Kate Magowan; Other Voices: Kerry Shale; Voice Engineer: Chris O'Shaunessy; Panache P.R.: Cathy Campos; Company 2: Activision Publishing Inc.; Senior Producer: Marcus Iremonger; Associate Producer: Dave Casey; Production Assistant: Juan Valdes; Director Global Brand Management: John Heinecke; Marketing Associate: Matt Geyer; Trade Marketing Manager: Elisabeth Noyes; Senior Publicist: Lisa Fields; Vice President Global Brand Management: Tricia Bertero; Executive Vice President Global Publishing and Brand Management: Kathy Vrabeck; Producer For Marvel Enterprises Inc.: T. Q. Jefferson; Legal: Michael Hand, Greg Deutsch; V.P. Creative Services: Denise Walsh; Manager Creative Services: Jill Barry; Company 3: Activision UK; Senior V.P. European Publishing: Scott Dodkins; Head of Publishing: Nathalie Ranson; Creative Services Manager: Jackie Sutton; Localization Project Manager: Mark Nutt; Director of Marketing U.K. and R.O.E.: Sarah Ewing; Brand Manager U.K. and R.O.E.: Alison Mitchell; Associate Brand Manager: Grant Gie; Operations Manager: Heather Clarke; Production Planner: Lynne Moss; Production Assistant: Victoria Fisher; U.K. P.R. Executive: Bozena Eatwell; P.R. Manager, R.O.E.: Suzanne Panter; Q.A. Project Lead: Chad Fazzaro; Senior Q.A. Project Lead: Adam Hartsfield; Q.A. Manager, Console Testing: Joe Favazza; Q.A. Manager, Night Shift: Jeremy Gage; Floor Lead and Database Manager: Paul Colbert; Tester: Garrett Oshiro, Mike Wale, Mike Wesby, Chad Makings, Nick Smith, Andrew Ventura, Hubert Cheng, Ryan Ramsey; C.S. Manager: Bob McPherson; C.S. Escalation and Information Lead: Rob Lim; C.S. Phone Lead: Gary Bolduc; C.S. E-Mail Lead: Mike Hill; Company 4: Marvel Enterprises Inc.; Chief Operating Officer: Bill Jemas; Editor and Chief: Joe Quesada; Legal and Business Affairs: Seth M. Lehman, Joshua M. Silverman, Liz Cordero, Carl Suecoff; New Line Cinema: Lance Still, Kasey Murphy, Katie Whittemore, Sara Romily
Blade II is a 2002 American vampireaction film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade. It is the first sequel to the film Blade, making it the second in the Blade film-series. It continues the essence and story of the first film, but introduces a new event and numerous new characters. Unlike the first film, it is directed by Guillermo del Toro, but the same writers persisted and also Wesley Snipes returned for the lead role and again as a producer.
Two years after the end of the previous film, Blade cuts a swath through the vampire population of Prague to find his old mentor Abraham Whistler, who survived his suicide attempt and turned into a vampire, being kept in suspended animation for torture. After forcing a vampire named Rush to reveal Whistler's location, Blade saves him and administers an accelerated version of the cure that was developed in the first film. Regaining his humanity, Whistler learns that Blade has procured a new weaponsmith in his absence, Scud. As Whistler and Scud begin to argue, a pair of vampires, Nyssa and Asad, invade Blade's base and deliver a truce offering. Blade accepts and visits the fortress of the ancient vampire Eli Damaskinos. There he learns of a disease being spread by Nomak, a vampire mutation that has been feeding off the vampires in Prague, turning his victims into infected vampires called Reapers that are consumed by bloodlust and would eventually threaten to wipe out all human life on the planet. The vampires offer to ally with Blade in order to combat this mutual threat. Blade agrees and teams with the Bloodpack, an elite vampire squad that was created to battle Blade himself.
Blade and the Bloodpack stake out a vampire nightclub, and their uneasy alliance quickly wears thin. When the Reapers attack, Blade pursues Nomak, and learns that he too bears a personal grudge against vampires. After the battle, the group deduces that the Reapers' only weakness is ultraviolet light. They concoct a plan to lure the Reapers into the sewers and ambush them with UV grenades. Though Blade develops an unusual connection with Nyssa, the daughter of Damaskinos, he is ultimately betrayed by the Bloodpack during the ambush. All the Reapers are killed in the UV explosion except Nomak.
Blade, Whistler, and Scud are taken back to Damaskinos's fortress as prisoners, where Damaskinos reveals that he created Nomak in a botched effort to breed a superior race of vampires. Scud also reveals himself as a traitor, but Blade kills him with his own bomb. As Nomak assaults the fortress, Whistler and Blade break free. Nomak kills Damaskinos and infects Nyssa before Blade catches up to him. Blade and Nomak engage in a final battle before Blade stabs Nomak in the heart. On the brink of death, Nomak feels relieved of his pain and completes the fatal blow. As the sun dawns, Blade stoically grants Nyssa her final wish to see the sun, to die as a vampire before the Reaper virus takes hold of her. In the epilogue, Rush is seen in London going to a stripper when he sees Blade who settles loose ends with his sword between the vampire's eyes.
Cast
Wesley Snipes as Blade, a half-vampire "daywalker" who hunts vampires. Wesley Snipes accepts that whilst such a character isn't going to have much emotional depth, he did feel that "there's some acting involved in creating the character and making him believable and palatable.[1]
Blade II was released on March 22, 2002. This was during a period of the year (months March and April) considered to be a bad time for sequels to be released.[4] Despite this, the film became the most successful of the Blade films, making $80 million in the United States and $150 million worldwide. In its opening weekend the film earned $32,528,016 from 2,707 theaters[5] but dropped 59% of its earnings in its second week, which brought in $13.2 million. The intake is believed to be affected in part by the strong pull of NCAA basketball Final Four games Saturday.[6] The film debuted in the United Kingdom at number one, making $3.6 million from 355 theatres[7] and held the spot for the following week, where it had earned $7.9 million despite a 47% decline. The film also bowed in at number one in Singapore, taking $214,000 from 30 theatres.[8]
Deleted Scenes
The New Line Platinum Series DVD contains several deleted scenes, including: An extended opening scene establishing Prague. A flashback sequence showing Blade's first encounter with Whistler, part of which can be seen in the film's title credits. An extended version of the ninja fight in the warehouse, with Blade using some fencing tactics to keep Asad at bay. A scene of Whistler shying away from the growing daylight outside. An alternate take of Blade's first meeting with Damaskinos, with Damaskinos wearing, according to Guillermo del Toro, a "Michael Bolton wig". A scene in which Damaskinos explains the effects vampirism has had on him. A much longer version of the House of Pain sequence, including a scene with Nyssa finding a room upstairs with a man unpacking human entrails from a box, a scene that was meant for Michael Jackson. A line by Whistler about "the power of the pussy" A Bloodpack "meeting" of sorts, with Chupa attempting to urge the others to kill Blade and go after the Reapers on their own. A scene in a bathroom after the House of Pain sequence of Lighthammer discovering how far his infection with the Reaper strain has gone. An extended scene of Damaskinos' dinner and blood bath, in which he tells of the fate of his human heart. An extended scene of the lawyer's torture of Blade A "dirty" version of the final scene, in which semen is streaked on the windows that was digitally removed in the final cut of the film because test audiences complained.
Reception
Reaction to Blade II among critics has been mixed, with the film earning a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[9]Roger Ebert gave the film 3½ stars out of 4, writing: "Blade II is a really rather brilliant vomitorium of viscera, a comic book with dreams of becoming a textbook for mad surgeons."[10] Conversely, James Berardinelli gave the film 2½ stars out of 4, writing: "Blade II is for those undiscriminating movie-goers who want nothing more from a trip to the multiplex than loud, raucous, mindless entertainment."[11]
