eched
No, it is not on par with any of the films, but it is just a skip and a jump shy of being on par in my mind with the second entry(in my mind the weakest of the three films. Bash me if you must).The show has its flaws, mostly being a plot hole here and there, and Blade is no where near to as strong as he should be(he almost gets killed in each fight that he's in, and hath the time someone has to step in and save his but!) being the strongest problems.The pros is the show does keep the same feel of the films, unlike some other series out there(The Terminator series jumps to mind. That just screwed over everything.) What is also neat is how the series just goes all out. It is indeed one of the most blood filled TV shows I have ever seen. In fact, if you took all three films and smacked them together, the show would still have 5 times more blood.The action for a TV show is also Grade A. The fight scene between Marcus and a Pure Blood is just plain amazing and crazy! Also, some interesting characters, and unlike the films, Blade isn't the only one to kill a tone. Also gives Blade some more back story and makes him a bit more interesting.See on DVD set after you see the other films. That way it will fit in better and feel more like the forth film then just some TV show.Cheers!
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
After three movies, all of which had, at least some, good visuals, action and dark tone, this franchise tried for a television show. I've only read one comic with the title character, so I base my evaluations on the movies and the show, and what little I know about the comics. This show only got one season, and it lasted a dozen episode, with a pilot the length of two full episodes. Personally, I think they did a pretty good job, much of the way. Rather than just try to imitate the movies(which is not to say that they didn't take notes, in fact, almost everything, especially as far as look goes, is from the movies), this went for on-going plots and provided character development. Yes, some of it is similar to the movies. No, not all of it is terribly original. But most of it is entertaining, and they do some interesting things, and provided some more or less solid drama. The pilot has some self-irony over the character and introduction, and they bring in a fairly known face to explain the origin story. It's unclear where in the time-line of the movies this takes place, but it could be after the course of all three movies, and it would seem to be in the same universe, as the character of Whistler is referenced. The music is OK, it consists of score and some rock and rap. The action is reasonable, and has some *really* awesome moments. The sets are decent enough. The special effects aren't as spectacular as they could have been on a higher budget, but they do look quite nice. The acting varies, but is usually acceptable, sometimes great(and once Emily Hirst appears... impressive performance. I urge any potential viewers to not look her up, or try to find out what she plays). Sticky Fingaz isn't too bad in his portrayal of Blade, and his looks, moves and fighting skills fit the part. The character of Krista was a magnificent idea; she starts out being the viewer's introduction to this world, but she goes on to be much more. She is interesting, and she helps keep the show grounded. No matter how big it seems to get, her character makes it *real*... which makes the impact of the events much stronger. The dialog ranges, some of it is lines from the first movie, occasionally bastardized. The production values are high, to an extent. The cinematography and editing are standard at times, and even less than that does occur, but there are some noticeable exceptions, where it is a lot better than that. The look and tone is done right. The show is funny, very much so, at points. It does try too hard sometimes, but other times, it really works. Blade is still a bad-ass, though he has more trouble than he did in the films. Now, I'm told that that's actually close to the comics. He isn't stronger and faster than vampires, he's *as* strong and fast. That comes across clearly, here, and makes the fact that he hasn't already won the war more credible. The mythology is intriguing. The racial diversity is commendable; in the pilot alone, there are African-American, Asian, Native American and of course white, characters. You can tell that it's Spike... there is sex(the sensual nature of vampires of either gender is not lost on the crew behind this), violence(they manage the bloody and gory nature of them, as well) and mild swearing, and they aren't difficult to come by. The show is at times uneven, and some corners are cut. Still, they put some noteworthy visuals on the small screen, some cool action sequences(shootouts and fights alike, both tend to be nicely done, and plentiful), and the episodes are all worth watching. I agree that it isn't without flaws, but it's certainly not without its merit, either. If you like the movies, and/or the character, and this comes on TV, I suggest you give at least the pilot a chance. The finale is not bad, and I would tune in for a second season, if this ever gets another chance. I recommend this to even casual fans of Blade, those also interested in the character, and, as have been said by others, maybe give it some time. 7/10
