Here is a movie that catches your attention with just it's title. You pass the poster then think, "Wait. What?! Vampires... crap." But it is super entertaining. What they have done is taken the already super icon, President Abraham Lincoln, and made him even more epic.
Mr. Lincoln's mother is murdered by vampires, so his desire for vengeance drives him to learn to hunt and kill the evils that stalk in the night while he develops into the Lincoln we know.
The premise is what I hear the most complaints about when I mention this movie. And those people should get off their high horse and have some fun. Because Ole Honest Abe takes his silver ax and smokes vampires like a boss. He learns to channel his strength where he can fell a tree with one swing. It's so cool. It is just a really fun addition to what is already and interesting story that just needed more hand to hand supernatural action. Accept their reality and enjoy it.
There are familiar faces in this movie, but our lead is a complete mystery to me. Benjamin Walker is a very good Lincoln. He has this strong presence to him that the character needs, and he just executes very well. Dominic Cooper plays Henry Sturgess. Sturgess is Abraham's rather strict vampire killing mentor. Cooper is starting to string together a nice run of flicks, and he can definitely add this one to his win column. Anthony Mackie is a child hood friend of Abe, and a very capable side kick durring his slaying days. The only problem is he his kind of forgettable. You recognize him from his other roles, but he is not a guy that you know his name. He is "that guy from that thing" not "Anthony". But he still shows up in a big way for out main character. May Elizabeth Winstead is good as his Mrs. Lincoln. She just has some lines that seem out of time, but that isn't necessarily her fault. Jimmi Simpson, who you will recognize from his many roles, is also a welcome addition to the Presidents entourage. Last But certainly not least is Rufus Sewell. He is such a good bad guy. He just has a natural arrogance want about his characters that makes you hate them. I wouldn't know what to do with him in a non-completely evil role. But as a bad guy he is fantastic.
Special effects are also quite good. There were only a couple of times where I notice, and in a effects heavy movie where you have peoples faces getting all monstered up, that is not bad. There are also some large scale fight scenes in a stampede, on a racing locomotive, and in a plantation look good and just really add to that epicness that they are pouring into this movie.
This is just a twist on a great story that is actually executed well. It even throws some interesting social commentary in there with out being overbearing and ruing the flow of the story. I recommend it to anyone who likes our 16th president, the violent elimination of the undead, and has the slightest interest in the combination of both. Or if you are just sick of the crap vampire garbage that Twilight give you. Go see how a man deals with those filthy blood suckers. Step aside Buffy, Abe has some work to do.
AND ALSO!!!! here is a trailer for a movie a saw before this, because i want to see SANTA CLAUS punch a bad guy in the face. Yes, you heard me.
No comments:
Post a Comment