Vampires (John Carpenter's Vampires)

A Film Review by Roger Crow

United States, 1998
US Release Date: 29/10/99
Running Length: 1:44
BBFC Classification: 18 (Violence, gore, profanity, sexuality, nudity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Cast: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Tim Guinee, Maximilian Schell
Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Sandy King
Screenplay: Don Jakoby based on the novel "Vampire$" by John Steakley
Cinematography: Gary B. Kibbe
Music: John Carpenter
U.S. Distributor: Columbia Pictures

And so, after a year of waiting, Britain finally gets the big screen treat that is Vampires.

If you love horror movies with tongue (or fang) firmly in cheek, then this is ideal entertainment.

Aside from the blue jeans, James Woods is perfect as posturing hero Jack Crow, a gritty Van Helsing for the Nineties. Armed with automatic rifles and hi-tech crossbows he is aided by spud-faced Tony Montoya (Daniel Baldwin), a reliable vampire killer who looks like a porky version of brother Alec Baldwin.

Together, they lead a funded team of vampire killers. They're very good at what they do, until they stumble on the "nest" of Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), the big cheese Vampire. Valek undertakes a bloody revenge on the team after they destroy nine of his minions - everyone except Crow and Montoya is killed in a grisly bloodbath.

The two survivors, along with a bitten hooker, Katrina (the gorgeous Sheryl Lee), and a priest (Tim Guinee), set out in pursuit of Valek with the intention of slaying him before he discovers the whereabouts of a legendary black cross that will turn him into what is know in Blade as a daywalker.

Woods and Lee are fantastic in this movie, as are the effects. Griffith is a rather obvious vampire, and the soundtrack (also by Carpenter) is suitably ominous.

It has a slow second act and could have done with some snappier pacing but on the whole, this is bloody good fun.

© 1999 Roger Crow

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