The concept of diminishing returns has never been so on display. Instead of a team of highly trained assassins who just so happen to be vampires, Blade is now teamed up with a group of unskilled misfits. Back with Snipes is Kris Kristofferson in a much more limited role although he gets some additional screen time as Dracula shape shifts into his persona to kill some of the Nightstalkers. Now is a good time to say that Dominic Purcell is the worst embodiment of Dracula or Drake (such a 00’s name) put on screen. Devoid of any personality or style, his version of the King of Vampires looks and acts like an East European gigolo. At least he doesn’t wear J Crew and sparkle. His only special ability is to shape shift, not into a bat or wolf, but a different person. His shifting into Abraham Whistler to attack the Night Stalkers headquarters makes absolutely no sense because the only one there who would recognize him is his daughter who wasn’t even there for the attack. This is indicative of the lazy writing throughout. Also, I am so over the throwaway techno beats during fight scenes. It’s like Jessica Biel’s iTunes (remember having to pay for songs?) playlist is curated by a nerd who thinks they know what sounds cool and edgy. Finally there is Ryan Reynolds’s Hannibal King who is a cured former vampire. Unlike his still vampire Marvel Comics character, Reynolds is now a mortal member of the Night Stalkers who is basically a more annoying Wade Wilson with a weird beard. He exists to get under Blades skin (mimicking the reported tension between the two actors on set.) This leads to the hilarious reference to the conflict twenty years later in Deadpool and Wolverine. The weakest of the Blade franchise, the film doesn’t up the ante for fight scenes, wrap up any loose ends, or bring any kind of closure. It just exists to make a trilogy. The entire purpose is spelled out plainly in the title.
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