Four years before Sam Raimi took Peter Parker for a swing through New York, and a full decade before Tony Stark found his heart in a cave in the desert, there was Blade. Released in 1998 to a mixed bag in terms of critical reception, the Wesley Snipes-fronted Blade went on to gross over £130m at the box office. The mix of stylish action and explosive gore struck a chord with cinemagoers, and this was enough for a sequel to be greenlit.
With the man who helmed the series opener, Stephen Norrington, opting out of returning for the sequel, the search was on for someone to take on the challenge. Step forward, Guillermo Del Toro. A future Oscar winner and the master of practical effects, Del Toro’s work on the likes of Chronos and Mimic convinced the studio to give him the gig. With his love for dark, almost fairytale-like storytelling and a knack for a blood-soaked set piece, it was a match made in heaven.
From the opening introduction to Jared Nomak (Luke Goss), the first of a mutated race of vampires known as Reapers, in which he easily disposes of his almost aristocratic counterparts, it’s clear that the director has ramped everything up from the original. Snipes’ return is equally as emphatic, tearing through a group of bloodsuckers in a warehouse while looking for his mentor, the apparently (un)dead Whistler (Kriss Kristofferson).
While Snipes is clearly having a ball returning as The Daywalker, and Kris Kristofferson is as whip-smart as he was in the original, it’s the inclusion of newer characters, friend and foe, that elevate this above the original. A babyfaced Norman Reedus as Scud, who has filled in for Whistler while he was otherwise indisposed, seems good fodder for Snipes’ Blade and is great when at loggerheads with Kristofferson. We
are also introduced to The Bloodpack, a group of highly trained combatants Blade must team up with to defeat the Reavers, but whose sole purpose in training was to kill Blade. GDT stalwart Ron Perlman is the standout here, playing disgruntled pack member Reinhardt, who has a particular problem working with his supposed adversary (a particular line about “blushing” has not aged very well). One criminally underused character is Donny Yen as Snowman, who barely gets to break into his martial arts stride. Standing head and shoulder above all though is Goss’ Nomak. Sinister throughout, with an added air of an addict embracing their addiction, Nomak is a much more formidable opponent to Blade than Deacon Frost from the first instalment.
Action-wise, it’s everything you could hope for from a sequel. With a claustrophobic hunt for Reavers in a sewer, another excellent rave scene (without sprinklers filled with blood), and a brutal, visceral showdown between Nomak and Blade, the action this time definitely feels more hands-on, less CG reliant. When CG is used, it can be a bit jarring, especially during a fight in front of blaring lights. However, all in this more than surpasses its predecessor.
In terms of plot, this is perhaps where the film is at its weakest. While the Reaver strain element is interesting, it feels like there could have been more done to flesh it out, possibly even leading into a third film (we don’t talk about Trinity). Blade’s temporary alliance with the vampires and The Bloodpack plays out exactly as you would anticipate, with expected twists and a double-cross, that was telegraphed from the beginning (“They’re gonna f*ck us the first chance they get”) making you wonder how Blade was
so susceptible to capture.
This is easily the finest entry we have had in the Blade franchise so far, taking elements from the first and dialling up the mayhem. With a Mahershala Ali Blade due to enter the MCU in 2023, it remains to be seen if The Daywalker still holds sway over audiences, or if it all ends with a belated stake through the heart.
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