“Blade: Trinity” (New Line Cinema)
Wesley Snipes returns to the screen in a new installment of the “Blade” series, and it is good to see him again. Snipes has not been a visible presence in the movies for a while now. Sadly after three installments the “Blade” franchise is getting a little rusty. Even with the addition of Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds to the cast the action film loses power and chugs to a slow ending.
Blade (Snipes) is still the good vampire hunting bad vampires, and he is aided by his mentor Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). This time out he is also joined by two “nightstalkers” Hannibal (Reynolds) and Abigail (Biel) who is Whistler’s daughter. Their enemy is a creature called Drake (Dominic Purcell) and he is aided by a gang led by Danica Talos (Parker Posey).
There are chase sequences galore and a lot of things get blown up, but the film never shows any real energy. Snipes doesn’t even look like himself anymore, and the force and energy of his previous portrayals of this character are missing here. He is just phoning it in and it shows.
Biel is totally blah as an avenging angel and Reynolds attempts at being comic relief are more embarrassing than funny. Only Parker Posey comes across as someone who is actually trying to have some fun in the film. She is the one you watch whenever she is on the screen.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
“Blade: Trinity” is just more of the same old same old we saw in the first two installments about this character. With an effort this weak you would expect that this movie has driven a stake through the heart of any further sequels. At least let’s hope it has.
I scored “Blade: Trinity” a rusty 4 out of 10.
