Blade Trinity

Review by Richard Lee


New Line Home Cinema / 2004 / 123 Minutes / Unrated Director’s Cut
Street Date: April 26, 2005

Specifications:
-DVD-Video
-DVD-9
-Region 1

Aspect Ratio:
-2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen

Audio:
-Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound
-DTS ES 6.1 Surround Sound
-Stereo Surround Sound

Subtitles:
-English
-Spanish
-Off

Main Menu:
-Play Movie
-Special Features
-Set Up Options
-Select A Scene
-DVD-ROM/Online Features

Special Features(Disc One):
-Commentary One with Writer/Director/Producer David S. Goyer and Actors Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel
-Commentary Two with Writer/Director/Producer David S. Goyer, Producers Peter Frankfurt and Lynn Harris, Cinematographer Gabriel Beristain, Production Designer Chris Gorak and Editor Howard E. Smith

Marvel Comics’ hybrid vampire superhero, Blade, is back for his third go-round at the movies, and this time the writer of all three, David S. Goyer, is given the opportunity to direct one. Whereas the first Blade movie establishes the myth of the superhero; the second antes up the violence and special effects quotient having Blade team up with vampires to battle an even more dangerous race of vampire mutants; the third and perhaps last in the series is, depending upon how one looks at it, a step down, or shall we say, a step sideways. This time the movie is played for laughs, not as an outright comedy, but in the onslaught of one-liners that seems to infest this script. The writer has, in effect, taken our hero in a different direction and, depending on how much you liked “Blade II” for its graphic violence and effects, you’ll either hate it or like it as just another, albeit weaker entry in the series. 

A group of vampires, led by Parker Posey and wrestling’s Triple H, have resurrected the greatest vampire of them all, Dracula, only here known as simply Drake - played by Dominic Purcell, try to imagine Bob Hoskins if he worked out a little; he simply looks all wrong for this role. The vamps want Drake to terminate Blade and have even gone to great lengths to set him up so that our hero is also pursued by the cops and Feds. Enter The Nightstalkers, a team of young uppity vampire slayers led by Ryan “Van Wilder” Reynolds and Jessica “Please don’t associate me with Seventh Heaven” Biel. It is Reynolds who spews 95 percent of the movie’s one-liners and depending on how you tolerate him, you’ll either think he’s funny or annoying; granted, a couple of his jokes are genuinely funny. Biel plays Abigail Whistler, the out-of-wedlock daughter of Blade’s mentor and with rapid-fire editing, even she looks like an efficient martial artist. With an array of newer, high-tech vampire-slaying weaponry, our heroes prepare for the ultimate anti-climactic showdown with The Prince of Darkness.

Picture Quality:

As with most vampire movies, one can expect a plethora of dark and moody scenes. Thankfully, the transfer here is exceptionally clean with virtually no grain and no sign of edge enhancement either; blacks appear really black and contrast levels are excellent. The color palette is limited, understandably for a dark movie of this nature, with the exception of the color red, which is vivid when it pops up, or spurts out as it were.

Audio Quality:

Blade comes with a DTS ES track and the sound mix is impressive. The LFE channel is quite active throughout and directional sound effects are well separated in scenes of flying bullets and projectiles. Music, whether orchestral or techno is spacious and encompassing when it needs to be. One note of warning: if you choose to view the theatrical version, be prepared for numerous pauses and sound drop-outs when the seamless? branching takes effect.

Scenes for demonstration purposes: 1 – 6:40 Blade is set up by the vamps. 2 – 20:30 Abigail Whistler’s intro (or is it Elektra?). 3 - 24:00 Feds storm Whistler’s compound. 4 - 36:00 The Nightstalkers rescue Blade. 5 – 95:40 Final showdown with Drake.

Bonus Features(Disc Two):

Feature length documentary “Inside the World of Blade Trinity” – a compilation of sixteen featurettes that can be played individually or as a whole. Director Goyer, along with filmmakers and actors share just about everything you would want to know about Blade. 

“Goyer on Goyer” is a self-indulgent interview the director does with himself that includes an alternate ending that hints at another Blade movie.

“Blooper Reel” includes 11 minutes of outtakes that are more or less amusing, the best of which has Jessica, who has grown quite proficient with the crossbow taking out a camera by accident. The final section includes the obligatory trailers and galleries. There are three visual effects progressions and a look at the weapons with text explaining each. Lastly, the DVD comes with a slim “Blade: Nightstalkers” comic book insert that’s a nice touch.