Blade II [2002]

Wesley Snipes returns as Blade, the daywalking half-human/half-vampire who has dedicated his life to fighting the threat posed by the undead. This time he enters into an alliance with vampire chief Damaskinos in order to eradicate a new strain of vampire which preys on both the living and the undead. Leading an elite vampire combat team known as the 'Blood Pack', Blade visits the Prague nightclub where the new vampires have made their base and makes ready to attack. But this new strain is stronger and more deadly than anything the vampire hunter has come up against before. From Aptly described by critic Roger Ebert as "a vomitorium of viscera", Blade II takes the express route to sequel success. So if you enjoyed Blade, you'll probably drool over this monster mash, which is anything but boring. Set (and filmed) in Prague, the plot finds a new crop of "Reaper" vampires threatening to implement a viral breeding program, and they're nearly impervious to attacks by Blade (Wesley Snipes), his now-revived mentor Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), and a small army of "normal" vampires who routinely combust in a constant conflagration of spectacular special effects. It's up to Blade to conquer the ber-vamps, and both Snipes and director Guillermo del Toro ( Mimic) serve up a nonstop smorgasbord of intensely choreographed action, creepy makeup, and graphic ultra-violence, with the ever-imposing Ron Perlman as a vampire villain. It's sadistic, juvenile, numbing, and--for those who dig this kind of thing--undeniably impressive. -- Jeff Shannon