Blade II

While the first Blade was a standard cliché with decent dynamics and a visual gorefest, the second one is a standard cliché with excellent dynamics and a visual super-gorefest. Wherever possible, Guillermo del Toro pushed the limits and the result is grittier, slicker and more exciting that the first one. It’s an upgrade similar to that seen in Terminator 2. If those great characters had been a bit more well developed, Blade II would have been worthy of five stars! (25.04.2002)

I would love to have Blade’s glasses. They never all off, they withstand every hit and never get dusty. And by the way, the first one was better. (05.07.2002)

A horrible digital mess, from which Guillermo de Toro's thoroughbred stamp occasionally shines, but it is immediately scattered by cheap chatter and truly ugly tricks. It is no longer worth showing Wesley Snipes's demented face, but thankfully the reputation of idiocy is traditionally saved by the divine Ron Perlman. I also don't understand what Cat is doing amongst the vampires and why he doesn't transform even once. Ehm. The most watchable film from the trilogy, but still very below average... (08.11.2009)

A hair’s breadth better than the first one. But that's because this time it doesn't pretend anything at all. The creators simply made a solid B-movie with all the frills for their own enjoyment and that of others. Silly dialogs, cool lines and actors, decent action, lots of stupid moments, and so on. It is a pity that they did not make it shorter, as that would only have benefited the final product. (29.06.2007)

A deluge of total action. The best cure for a bad mood and probably the last really good Wesley Snipes movie. Del Toro opened the door to Hollywood with his second Blade, and that was a damn important moment. Remember my words when you breathlessly watch In the Mountains of Madness which is in preparation. P.S.: Perlman's Reinhardt is brilliant. (22.12.2007)

Del Toro surpasses Norrington's first installment in many aspects. The action is considerably better, more dynamic and bloodier, and the fantastic drive does not waver even in the dialogues and slower scenes. The music adds maximum coolness, and the tough wisecracks are placed exactly in the right spots. Wesley Snipes doesn't showcase anything new, but his old tricks are more than sufficient – his inseparable sunglasses alone are worth attention. The few plot holes and logical absurdities can easily be overlooked because, with such pace, you can notice them only on a third or fourth viewing. The pleasant diversification in the form of Bloodpack and Leonor Varela (the ending is powerful) and even the return of Kris Kristofferson is appreciated. Probably the best installment. (18.05.2006)

The action and some of the lines found fertile soil. Details like the setting in the Czech capital or Ronnie are definitely delightful, but a fifth star is kept out of reach by two significant negatives. The fact is that the film doesn't respect the first installment in certain respects (the encounter between the vampire and the sunlight in the first was definitely not as poetic), and whenever they say more than two sentences in a row, it's usually pretty much a bummer. But otherwise, a blast. (11.09.2004)