DVD The Daywalker returns to face a terrifying new threat - a breed of mutated super vampires that prove far more dangerous than anything he has faced before.
Details
A mutation has spread through the Prague vampire community and a new and terrifying creature known as the Reaper has emerged. Unlike ordinary vampires, the Reapers feed not only on humans but also on vampires themselves. The situation becomes so dire that the secretive vampire Shadow Council takes the extraordinary step of approaching Blade for help.
Blade is naturally suspicious when summoned to meet the council. After all, vampires have spent years trying to kill him. However, when the true scale of the Reaper threat becomes clear - and the fact that their spread could eventually destroy both vampires and humans alike - Blade reluctantly agrees to work alongside them.
To combat the growing threat, Blade joins forces with an elite group of vampire warriors known as the Bloodpack. Ironically, this team was originally trained to hunt and kill Blade himself. Now they must put aside their hatred and fight alongside him against a far deadlier enemy. With tensions running high and trust in short supply, the uneasy alliance faces an uphill battle against the rapidly multiplying Reapers.
Picture & Sound
With this being a film centred around vampires, much of the action takes place at night or in dark locations such as warehouses and sewers. Fortunately the transfer handles these conditions extremely well. The picture quality is excellent, with strong colour detail and none of the usual problems associated with red colour bleeding.
The bit-rate remains consistently high throughout and there is never a hint of edge enhancement or excessive grain. In fact the image is so sharp that some of the CGI effects occasionally stand out a little too clearly, which can be slightly distracting at times. That said, the overall picture quality remains very impressive.
The sound presentation is equally strong, with both Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES soundtracks included. Each provides an aggressive and highly immersive surround mix filled with atmospheric effects and a pounding musical score that gives the subwoofer a serious workout.
Despite the film's relentless action, dialogue remains perfectly clear at all times thanks to excellent channel separation. The DTS track in particular offers slightly greater precision and depth, making it the preferred choice for those with compatible systems. Overall it is an outstanding audio presentation and a credit to director Guillermo del Toro's energetic filmmaking style.
Menu & Extras
The menu is attractively presented and scored in Dolby Digital, although once the introduction finishes it falls silent until returning from a sub-menu, when the music suddenly bursts back into life. The main menu features scenes from the film playing in the background with plenty of blood-soaked imagery on display. However, it still doesn't quite match the stylish parallax scrolling menu used on the first Blade DVD.
There are more extras here than you could shake a bloodied stake at, so many in fact that they occupy an entire second disc. As with the first film, the main disc includes two audio commentaries: one featuring Wesley Snipes and writer David Goyer, and another with director Guillermo del Toro and producer Peter Frankfurt. The latter is particularly entertaining as the pair clearly enjoy discussing the production and the possibilities offered by the DVD format.
Eight feature-length documentaries running for over 80 minutes take viewers behind the scenes of the film, featuring interviews and detailed explanations of the various production techniques used. The documentaries also feature seamless branching segments similar to those found on The Matrix DVDs. When a blood symbol appears on screen you can press 'Enter' to access additional material, or simply select the extra segments directly from the menu.
There are also sixteen deleted scenes running for nearly 25 minutes. Director Guillermo del Toro jokingly refers to many of them as "crap", but they still offer an entertaining look at material removed from the final cut. Listening to the director's enthusiastic commentary makes them far more interesting, particularly when he discusses the infamous "peep show booth" scene that was ultimately removed after negative audience reactions.
Overall
While the storyline isn't especially deep and some of the action sequences clearly borrow stylistic cues from The Matrix, Blade II is still a hugely entertaining ride. Guillermo del Toro injects the film with a distinctive visual style, grotesque creature design and relentless energy that pushes the series further into dark fantasy territory.
Combined with strong action sequences, impressive make-up effects and a generous selection of extras, this DVD makes a worthwhile addition for fans of the original film. Just remember to stock up on holy water and silver bullets.
Special features
- Commentary by Director Guillermo Del Toro and Producer Peter Frankfurt
- Commentary by Writer David Goyer and Wesley Snipes
- Isolated 5.1 Score
- Sixteen Deleted/Alternate Scenes with Director's Commentary
- A Pact in Blood : Interactive Collection of Documentaries
- Director's Notebook : Interactive Reproduction of the Director's Notes with an Introduction by Del Toro
- Art Gallery
- Theatrical Trailers
- Music Video - Cypress Hill and Roni Size "Child of the Wild West"
- Blade 2 Video Game Survival Guide
- Script to Screen
- Original Website
- Hot Spot
