This movie was released in the same year as Blade. This is of a slightly different theme though whilst still a vampire film, it has more of a western feel to it, from the sparse desert landscapes and gunslinging vampire hunters, to the whole overtone of vengeance and retribution. Some say this is one of Carpenter's worst films, but when you've made a name for yourself, and established a solid reputation, you're free to churn out a bit of bilge every now and then, eh? Personally, I think this movie's quite entertaining
This plot line is quite a good one. Vampire slayers, employed by the Catholic Church (another catholicism-basher, then?) are on the verge of wiping them out for good. Tracking the latest batch of pesky bloodsuckers, they believe they've found the 'nest'. Apparently, according to their 'Slayer Rules' if "you find the nest, you find the master." Unfortunately, they don't find him at the nest, but he finds them at their motel. Valek, the Master, wipes out most of the slayers, leaving him free and unmolested to perform an ancient ritual that will enable him to walk in the daylight, and reign supreme. The whole 'take-over-the-world' ploy rears its ugly head once again.
First and foremost: the biggest reason to watch this film is James Woods. He does a brilliant job of his hard-ass, sardonic and murderous vampire slayer, Jack Crow. He has some of the best lines in the movie "Vampires are not romantic. Its not like they're a bunch of f*ckin' fags hoppin' around in rented formal wear and seducing everybody in sight with cheesy Euro-trash accents, all right?" and he looks cool with a crossbow. (Of course, his parents were killed by vampires, which explains why he spends the entire movie being perpetually angry.) Daniel Baldwin is Jack's second in command, Anthony Montoya. He is clearly meant to be the strong, silent type who backs his partner up with unfailing loyalty. Unfortunately, Montoya seems hellbent on challenging Jack's every idea, and there's quite an amusing scrap between the two towards the end of the movie. (Guys, eh?) Sheryl Lee's Katrina is a hooker who becomes inescapably involved with things after being bitten by the Master Vampire, and Jack and Montoya use her to help them find him. She basically does what she was famed for in Twin Peaks she spends the entire film looking mostly dead, and predictably, there's the token scene where she's in the buff for no good reason. Tim Guinee does a good turn as a vampire-hunter-wannabe-priest who chiefly gets in Jack's face a lot. Jack responds by kicking the hell out of him at every given opportunity. Interestingly enough, Guinee appears in Blade as Karen Jensen's ex-boyfriend. He turns into a vampire, and she kicks the hell out of him. Thomas Ian Griffin is very good as Valek. He's very menacing and rather grotesque in a way, and he makes some interestingly gory kills. (If this film taught me one thing, it's to watch out for guys with sharp fingernails.) Maximillian Schell does a good job as the Cardinal that Jack's slayer-gang report to. He's obviously corrupt and conniving
. just look at his beard.
The rest of the film looks really good. (Having a jedi of directing like John Carpenter at the helm, you would expect this.) It's full of dusty yellow, heat-hazed desert panoramas, long open roads, blood, sweat, guns and seedy motels. Just the kind of life a roaming vampire-slayer would have. Jack and his crew of miscreant vampire-slayers look like hi-tech pest control. Valek and his band of minions who look like a heavy metal band who take their costuming very seriously cause necessary murder and havoc. Check out the Monastery scene towards the end of the film. There's something about people in dusty black coats throwing monks against walls that only John Carpenter could make look amusing.
For all it's bad reviews, this film makes good on a few things, like cracking one-liners, ("don't make me come over there and beat the sh*t out of you, Padre") an amazing amount of gore, and John Carpenter's home-made (slightly dodgy) soundtrack. This movie is more than adequate for a Saturday night in with a couple of friends, a few beers and a pizza. Just don't expect more than that, and you won't be disappointed.
1 out of 2 found this helpful