I bought this film without even having the slightest idea what I was going to see. But I was positively surprised by this movie! John Carpenter proves that he is still capable to make very good films even if they're not busting through the roof of the box office.
Unlike John Carpenter's classics like "Halloween", "The Fog" or "The Thing" I think this movie was not intended to be scary. And it definitely wasn't meant to win an Oscar for best screenplay or acting! This film is not just a horror film but also a cool road-movie. The scenery is very enjoyable throughout the whole 108 minutes. I loved the aerial shots of the desert-like plains at sunset. The locations give the film kind of a free and romantic feeling.
But the romanticism stops where the fights between vampire and man begin. The film was surprisingly gory considering it was 1998 and the MPAA wasn't on vacation (hey, nobody said that I didn't like the gory scenes). The film is not based on computer generated effects but on nice stunts and cool gore effects. But that doesn't mean there's nothing else to like about Vampires.
The acting is not outstanding but decent enough for this kind of film. James Woods was perfect for the role of ruthless vampire slayer Jack Crow. Thomas Ian Griffith was very convincing and looks good even if disguised as a vampire. Daniel Baldwin does okay and Sheryl Lee is a hot...uhm...actress.
A very enjoyable film overall, not scary but perfect to spend your Saturday evening with.
My rating: 8/10 (if you want more information: DVD contains an interesting audio commentary by John Carpenter himself!)
Unlike John Carpenter's classics like "Halloween", "The Fog" or "The Thing" I think this movie was not intended to be scary. And it definitely wasn't meant to win an Oscar for best screenplay or acting! This film is not just a horror film but also a cool road-movie. The scenery is very enjoyable throughout the whole 108 minutes. I loved the aerial shots of the desert-like plains at sunset. The locations give the film kind of a free and romantic feeling.
But the romanticism stops where the fights between vampire and man begin. The film was surprisingly gory considering it was 1998 and the MPAA wasn't on vacation (hey, nobody said that I didn't like the gory scenes). The film is not based on computer generated effects but on nice stunts and cool gore effects. But that doesn't mean there's nothing else to like about Vampires.
The acting is not outstanding but decent enough for this kind of film. James Woods was perfect for the role of ruthless vampire slayer Jack Crow. Thomas Ian Griffith was very convincing and looks good even if disguised as a vampire. Daniel Baldwin does okay and Sheryl Lee is a hot...uhm...actress.
A very enjoyable film overall, not scary but perfect to spend your Saturday evening with.
My rating: 8/10 (if you want more information: DVD contains an interesting audio commentary by John Carpenter himself!)