One of the biggest and most known vampire movies ever made. One of the best darker bloodier super hero movies ever shown. And these are the reasons why.
Well for any vampire movie, one about a daywalker who was born a vampire... a pure blood. Raised by a human to fight for the good of mankind, hunting his own kind... vampires not humans. This is an original story already with great tales and great action ready to be told.
The cast is better than anyone had ever hoped for I think. Wesley Snipes(Passenger 57/Demolition Man) as Blade, was probably the most biggest thing for Snipes acting career. I think he was the best choice, and fit the dark shadowery shy character of Blade perfectly. Stephen Dorff(Deuces Wild/Cold Creek Manor) as the venomous Deacon Frost half blood vampire. I think was still his starting and greatest performance ever. I still wish he could've got the best fight scene in the MTV movie awards... Darth Maul took that over though for Star Wars. Kris Kristofferson(Blade 2/Payback) as Whistler, the vampire slayer who taught Blade all he knows... I thought had his career with the Blade trilogy also. His little humor and old school kind of style definitely won Blade a lot of fans. Donal Logue(Reindeer Games/The Patriot) as the right hand vampire to Deacon Frost... I thought brought comedy that everybody waited for to hear next. Saana Lathan who played Blades mom, which did bring an interesting twist to the end of the movie. Later on became the star actress to the movie Alien VS Predator.
Stephen Norrington, for being a no name director whose only other big film was The League of Eatraordinary Gentleman... definitely made his money with Blade. David S. Goyer the writer to Blade... who I think was the secret ingredient to making this movie work. Writing all of the stories for Demonic Toys, The Crow, Blade 2, Blade Trinity... and the three future super hero movies Batman Begins, Ghost Rider, and The Flash. Who I think is making his name known as a writer to the darker super hero action flicks.
Blade is full of vampire excitement, that opening blood bath party was fascinating. The way Deacon Frost a half breed vampire, takes over the power of the pure bloods is entertaining... especially when killing the head vampire Dragonetti. The plot of awakening the blood God was oddly strange but kept you curious to the end. Better than other movies like it such as From Dusk Til Dawn(George Clooney), and Vampires(James Woods). What makes Blade even better is it reaches out to a lot of fans of different genres... a fan of comics, horrors, vampires, action, comedy should all of this film.
I still prefer Blade 2 over Blade 1... only because I loved the villians more. And I do think Blade Trinity was a joke to end this terrific trilogy. There's still nothing like the first though. If you haven't watched this yet then I think it's about that time you do. I do wish they could've made a better copy of the Blade DVD... being only 5.1 surround sound not DTS like Blade 2 was. In a card board dvd case, New Line Platinums old style of dvd cases. Still it offers everything a dvd should and does have great featurettes. These are the reasons of why Blade is a powerful vampire film.

BLADE is one rollercoaster ride of a movie. Fueled by an intense performance from Wesley Snipes (easily his best action role), the comic book movie is one heck of a ride. Snipes plays a half-man/half-vampire who has taken it on his own to ride the world of vampires, who "are everywhere." His mentor, Kris Kristofferson in one of his better roles too, has trained him well and provided him with all kinds of nasty weapons. The action scenes are awesome in their frenetic scope, and they never stop coming. Stephen Dorff as the vampire Deacon Frost is the epitome of vampiric evil, and Dorff's performance is underrated and he matches Snipes in all their scenes. Donal Logue (Comic Book Villains) is appropriately nasty as the henchman who keeps losing his limbs; N'Bushe Wright is very good as the hematologist who finds herself victimized by vampires and ends up joining Snipes' crusade; Sanaa Latham (Man on Fire, AVP) is seductively sinister as Blade's vampire mother. Director Stephen Norrington (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) knows what the audience wants and he delivers. Udo Kier (Andy Warhols Dracula) has a supporting role as well.
BLADE inspired two sequels, which I haven't seen yet, but if there as intense and imaginative as this one, I'll be happy.

The heart of a hero.

When Blade was first released, it provided me with the feeling of a roller coaster. There was action, suspense, theme, and story that just reached out and grabbed you. I liked the development of the villain, Deacon Frost played by Stephen Dorff. I loved the martial arts action displayed by Blade, Snipes. I enjoyed the father figure of Blade, Whistler played by Kris Kristofferson, while also enjoying the lesser-developed characters.

"Some MoFo's are always trying to ice skate up hill"

N'Bushe Wright (Dead Presidents and Zebrahead), who played Dr. Karen Jenson, was marvelous, and this character was perhaps her best role. I liked her a lot in Dead Presidents, but Dr. Jenson was the most involved character I have seen her play. Sanaa Lathan (Alien Vs. Predator, Brown Sugar, Best Man, Love & Basketball, and The Wood) plays Blades mother, and does a fantastic job in this sadistic role.

"What do you got down there little man?"
"My heat seeker."

Stephen Norrington, who directs Blade, also directed The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and worked on the special effects team of Aliens. It is unfortunate that more comic book and video game movie directors do not take Norrington's approach to their films. Blade is a movie with a complete story. His persona and character is developed as the story unfolds, it does not have to go in chronological order (i.e. you do not have to spell everything out). The story is the main drive of the movie Blade; the character comes in a very close secondary.

"Bringing home strays now?"

There was only one negative aspect of the movie, perhaps more of a hole in the plot. The "pure bloods" are for some reason afraid of Deacon Frost and his group of vampires. Though every indication during their interactions, they believe they are far superior to the "mixed breed." However, they never fight back, and act as victims. I never understood that aspect of the movie.

Blade is a must have in your DVD collection. It honestly should be one of the first films in your collection. Blade is a movie you can watch multiple times. I believe you can feel comfortable purchasing Blade, even if you have never seen it.

Grade: A

based off the comics
great adaptations
terrifying
funny
shocking

see this movie
it will shock you from start to finish
with the all bloody scenes one can not take their eyes off the screen
you will be shocked
I was
saw this 4 times on vhs
and 4 times on dvd.
glad I bought this
it's more then what I expected it to be every time I watch it

A half-human half-vampire named "Blade" ( Wesley Snipes) is a special hunter in the world that hunts down on vampires with the help of his mentor/guardian Whistler ( Kris Kirstofferson)as they help a young woman ( N'Bushe Wright)to destroy a vampiric kingpin named "Deacon Frost" ( Stephen Dorff) who is bent on taking over the human race.

This movie started the beginning of the Marvel comic inspired movies we have today and this is the one that brought faith that comics can be great movies. Although based on a Marvel comics character, this movie is a different approach on the vampire film genre with action genre put into it with great acting, nice special effects, non-stop battles and splatter galore.

The DVD is superb! contains a commentary by the cast-and-crew, isolated music score with commentary by the composer, Featurettes, Pencil to Post: Pencil Sketches through production designs, Cast-and-crew bios, DVD-Rom Content, Trailer and a intersting House of Erubus encyclopida that tells info about the 12 tribes of the ancient vampire ruling council from around the world.

Also recommended: Riki-Oh The Story of Ricky, Blade II, Blade Trinity, X-Men 1 & 2, Spider-Man 1 & 2, Hulk, Daredevil, The Punisher ( 2004), Vampire Hunter D, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Ichi The Killer, Kill Bill Series, Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Starship Troopers, John Carpenter's Vampires, Underworld, Vamp, Lifeforce, Fright Night 1 & 2, Planet of the Vampires, From Dusk Till Dawn, Batman ( 1989), The Crow, The Matrix, Big Trouble in Little China.