"Blade: The Series" Pilot (2006)

Director:

Peter O'Fallon

Writers:

Marv Wolfman (characters)
David S. Goyer (developer)

TV Series:

"Blade: The Series" (2006)

Original Air Date:

28 June 2006 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Blade joins forces with Krista Starr to help her get revenge on an evil vampire who killed her fraternal twin brother.

Plot Keywords:

Interracial Relationship | Vampire | Vampire Hunter | Based On Film | Detroit Michigan

Cast

Sticky Fingaz	...	Blade (as Kirk 'Sticky' Jones)
Jill Wagner	...	Krista Starr
Nelson Lee	...	Shen
Jessica Gower	...	Chase
Neil Jackson	...	Marcus Van Sciver
Bill Mondy	...	Det. Brian Boone
David Palffy	...	Fritz
David Kopp	...	Zack Starr
P. Lynn Johnson	...	Lisa Starr
Don Thompson	...	Uncle Pat McCallum
Chuck Liddell	...	Graft (as Charles Lidell)
G. Michael Gray	...	Danny Milano
Quinn Lord	...	Young Zack
Val Cole	...	News Reporter
Tammy Morris	...	Tattooed Woman

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Gastown, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

This long episode is sometimes split into two when aired by a TV channel.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Blade: You know what happens next.
Russian General: [in Russian] Da.

Movie Connections:

Spin off from Blade (1998)

Watchable, but nowhere near the quality of the movies!

In 2004, the third and supposedly the last Blade film, BLADE: TRINITY, was released to poor reviews and mediocre box office. While I was one of the few Blade fans that enjoyed BLADE: TRINITY, I can see why it was disliked. I thought it was brought Blade's story to a satisfying conclusion. There was little doubt in my mind that the franchise was really coming to an end. I knew a continuation was just around the corner. To my surprise, it was decided that the story wouldn't continue on the big screen, but on the small screen.

Debuting as a summer series, BLADE is better than one would expect from a television show premiering at such a time. It has a decent story, occasionally cheesy but enjoyable one-liners, and as a major plus, action scenes that aren't over-edited. However, what it doesn't have are the two qualities that made the film trilogy special: a dynamite lead and a strong atmosphere and visual style. Blade is played by rapper Sticky Fingaz, a decision that angered lots of fans. Fingaz isn't terrible as far as rappers turned actors go yet his performance as Blade is hardly praise worthy. He's trying to impersonate Wesley Snipes and not make Blade his own. For his performance as well as the show to work, he must find a way to make his portrayal of Blade unique. Also for the show to work, there needs to be stronger talent behind the camera. Direcor Peter O'Fallon does a reasonably good job for a television show, but what made the Blade trilogy stand out were directors with their own style, directors that created moody atmosphere to go along with the mayhem. Improvement must be made.

Overall, although it doesn't measure up to the trilogy in any aspect, this pilot movie for Blade is at least watchable which is a lot more than I can say about most television spin-offs from features. Given time, the show may grow into its own. 6/10