"Blade: Trinity"

Directed by:  David S. Goyer

Written by: David S. Goyer

Starring:  Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Dominic Purcell, Jessica Biel, and Ryan Reynolds

Rated:  R (Strong Violence and Language, Some Sexual Content)

Length:  113 Minutes

There's a general rule of thumb when it comes to classifying film via its content.  When more than half of the runtime is spent on transitions, what results is usually either a music video or pornography.  "Blade: Trinity" is neither, although conforming to one such genre would most certainly be a step up from this latest installment in the popular franchise.

The original "Blade" was one of film's first attempts to reclaim the somber tone of comic franchises since the monumental nose-dive involved with the "Batman" series.  Based on a semi-popular pulp character, "Blade" infused new life into a floundering bloodsucker market as well as demonstrating the renewed potential in comic movies; so much so that the path would be blazoned for later successes in the form of "X-Men" and "Spider-Man."

Soon to follow came a sequel helmed by Spanish surrealist Guillermo del Toro.  "Blade II," while fought over in terms of stylistic flamboyance, possessed an infectious energy that remained faithful to the original's exuberance.  David Goyer, screenwriter for the slayer's first two outings, was then given a chance to direct the third installment to the tone of roughly sixty million dollars; it would be his second time in such a role.

The plot of "Blade: Trinity" centers around the exploits of the first vampire.  Having apparently exhausted any sense of creativity, the iconic Dracula figure (Purcell) has once again been incorporated by the creators as a crutch in place of any real storyline.  Blade (Snipes), having just lost his longtime companion Whistler (Kristofferson), must now join up with a band of human vampire-hunters giddily labeled the "Nightstalkers."  Here, new and amazingly two-dimensional characters such as Hannibal King (Reynolds), a former vampire, and Abigail (Biel), Whistler's daughter, must cooperate with Blade to take down the king of the undead. 

Choosing to more closely follow the plot of the actual comic, "Blade" forfeits any feeling of reality that the previous iterations so desperately tried to instill.  All tries at continuing the series' mythology are demolished with an erratic and incomprehensible directorial need to cram as much needless peripheral information in as possible.

As mentioned earlier, "Blade: Trinity" is Goyer's second outing in the director's chair; his first with any sort of tangible budget.  And this, more than anything, is the fundamental flaw with the movie.  Rather than letting Goyer cultivate his talents with lesser projects, he has voluntarily thrust himself into the managerial position of a major motion picture.  It becomes almost immediately obvious that Goyer is green beyond any limit logically set by the studio.  Never knowing what tone he wishes to take, whether it be comedic, maudlin, or simply mindless action, Goyer fumbles continually, relying heavily on worthless transitions, slow-motion shots, and indistinguishable fight scenes.    

On the brighter side, actors Snipes and Reynolds truly try and stay afloat amongst the chaos and almost do so throughout the duration.  While you never actually care about the characters, there are a few memorable moments that render the experience somewhat less excruciating.  In addition, there are some impressive special effects shots and Dracula's makeup is astounding.

Fans of the series and casual viewers alike will undoubtedly be disappointed with "Blade: Trinity."  Every attempt to save the film failed on a spectacular level.  Even diehard followers would be hard-pressed to redeem this vampiric tale.  The gift of sequels is that they remind us about the level of effort and skill it takes to continually make the material worthwhile – that the source alone can't save the film.  The curse of sequels is that those involved almost always forget that fact.

See the Trailer here!

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