Reviews & Ratings for
Blade (1998)

Blade is a 1998 American superhero horror film directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name, it is the first installment of the Blade franchise. The film stars Wesley Snipes as the titular character with Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson and N'Bushe Wright in supporting roles. In the film, Blade is a Dhampir, a human with vampire strengths but not their weaknesses, who together with his mentor Abraham Whistler and hematologist Karen Jenson, fights against vampires, namely the exceptionally vicious Deacon Frost.

Released on August 21, 1998, Blade was a commercial success, grossing $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide. Despite mixed reviews from film critics, the film received a positive reception from audiences and has since garnered a cult following. It is also hailed as one of Snipes' signature roles. It was followed by two sequels, Blade II and Blade: Trinity, both written by Goyer who also directed the latter.

Blade was a dark superhero film for its time. The success of Blade began Marvel's film success and set the stage for further comic book film adaptations.

"Blade" is the best of the series and loaded with action and martial arts. Blade (Wesley Snipes)came from an unusual birth: his mother was attacked by a vampire and dies giving birth to him, resulting in Blade being half vampire/half human. With his mentor/weapons master Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), Blade is on a mission to hunt and destroy vampires that run the city. Seems that these are not your typical vampires: They're like the Mafia. Lead by the Elder vampire Dragonetti (Udo Kier, who seems to make a career out of playing bloodsuckers), the vampire organization has their fangs into many different pies, and also own the cops. Of course, Dragonetti's pain in the neck is Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff, playing it cool), who believes that humans are their meal ticket and shouldn't be coddled. Frost is also digging into the legend of La Magra, the blood god that will pretty much wipe out humanity, and Blade's blood is the trigger to releasing La Magra. Blade, with the help of Karen (N'Bushe Wright), a scientist that helps Blade by creating a neat weapon to fight the bloodsuckers off, goes into battle, but not before he discovers a secret connection between him and Frost.
Action packed and loaded, and interesting twists to vampire mythology (When disposing a vampire to the sun, Frost and Co. watch by wearing heavy sunblock and motorcycle outfits. Clever!). Snipes does the action thing pretty well.