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Though I'll never understand how a clan of vampires run by heads of state who are supposedly over a thousand years old have a figurehead who's frickin American (a cowardly boor, to boot), the film as a whole was quite enjoyable. I liked that they set it in London. What better place to be grey, dreary, cold, skeletal, lofty, and imposing?
I liked the style (yes, yes, they were influenced by The Matrix, but who the f*ck hasn't been? the film was brilliant, and therefore, we must get over the fact that others are trying to use it for good. if they use it for evil, that's another story). Nice flair, particularly the nonchalant way that the vampires go about doing dangerous things calmly and without flair. We're used to seeing vamps and otherwordly creatures do things we'd find dangerous and making a show of it - looky what our special effects can do, or, the character is all cocky about it. Even in The Matrix, Neo was a bit TOO confident when he did things. Or that could have just been the limited acting skills talking.
ANYWAY! so in particular I liked the way Beckinsale would jump down from tall spots and keep on truckin like she was crossin the street. I like the plot twist - I wont' give it away, but it definitely complicates the characters, and makes the film delightfully unpredictable. If you think about it in retrospect you're like, ok, yeah, that is a predictable plot line to follow but DURING the film you're like, oho? What's this? something new I didn't expect and hey, I LIKE it.
There were a few unbelievable bits of action - and I don't mean that in a good way. But I think we're supposed to let it slide because every once in a while yes, these guys are going to do something we just can't believe because, after all, we're human. Glaring example would be the end battle and how it resolves. That's all I'll say on that.
I also like that our romantic interests aren't romantic with one another really and thank god they didn't have an embryonic love scene like Matrix 2. That was just sad. These guys are fighting a battle, after all, and gotta do what they gotta do. Ain't got time for sucking face.
I do think plot thread switching was a little lacking in a few places - particularly as the hunt goes on toward the end, all sorts of things are happening to different people and by the end we're not necessarily sure of all their fates. Since they took the time to show us the start of the threads, they should finish them, or, not resolve them in such a quick tangle of switching around that we're left to be like, f*ck it, i'll just concentrate on the heros, man.
I think they could have focused more on the vampire clan and others in it - the little tragicomedies. I like the blonde supporting actress and they needed more (not much more) of a connection so we could see the true situation within the clan rather than just hear about it from different people's pov. "The house is in a state of unrest, they all doubt so and so."
And there's gonna be a sequel and I think i'll see it. goodtimes.
Tada! Miriam makes another post in the same month - shocking!
I liked the style (yes, yes, they were influenced by The Matrix, but who the f*ck hasn't been? the film was brilliant, and therefore, we must get over the fact that others are trying to use it for good. if they use it for evil, that's another story). Nice flair, particularly the nonchalant way that the vampires go about doing dangerous things calmly and without flair. We're used to seeing vamps and otherwordly creatures do things we'd find dangerous and making a show of it - looky what our special effects can do, or, the character is all cocky about it. Even in The Matrix, Neo was a bit TOO confident when he did things. Or that could have just been the limited acting skills talking.
ANYWAY! so in particular I liked the way Beckinsale would jump down from tall spots and keep on truckin like she was crossin the street. I like the plot twist - I wont' give it away, but it definitely complicates the characters, and makes the film delightfully unpredictable. If you think about it in retrospect you're like, ok, yeah, that is a predictable plot line to follow but DURING the film you're like, oho? What's this? something new I didn't expect and hey, I LIKE it.
There were a few unbelievable bits of action - and I don't mean that in a good way. But I think we're supposed to let it slide because every once in a while yes, these guys are going to do something we just can't believe because, after all, we're human. Glaring example would be the end battle and how it resolves. That's all I'll say on that.
I also like that our romantic interests aren't romantic with one another really and thank god they didn't have an embryonic love scene like Matrix 2. That was just sad. These guys are fighting a battle, after all, and gotta do what they gotta do. Ain't got time for sucking face.
I do think plot thread switching was a little lacking in a few places - particularly as the hunt goes on toward the end, all sorts of things are happening to different people and by the end we're not necessarily sure of all their fates. Since they took the time to show us the start of the threads, they should finish them, or, not resolve them in such a quick tangle of switching around that we're left to be like, f*ck it, i'll just concentrate on the heros, man.
I think they could have focused more on the vampire clan and others in it - the little tragicomedies. I like the blonde supporting actress and they needed more (not much more) of a connection so we could see the true situation within the clan rather than just hear about it from different people's pov. "The house is in a state of unrest, they all doubt so and so."
And there's gonna be a sequel and I think i'll see it. goodtimes.
Tada! Miriam makes another post in the same month - shocking!