It goes without saying that Stephen Norrington’s Blade deserves to be held up as one of the most important superhero movies ever made, one that paved the way for the boom at the turn of the millennium that shows no signs of stopping. And yet, Blade II never gets talked about anywhere near as much, which is a travesty.
Guillermo del Toro is in his element combining fantasy and horror, all shot through with the action-packed and leather-clad aesthetic that was still all the rage in 2002. Sure, some of the CGI definitely does not hold up, but the practical effects remain as stellar as ever, and there’s a sense of fun lurking just underneath the surface that creates a joyous tongue-in-cheek vibe.
A 57 percent Rotten Tomatoes score is nothing short of a travesty, then, but at least Wesley Snipes’ second outing as the Daywalker has been slicing and dicing its way though the Netflix charts after being added to the library in many international markets on October 1.
Per FlixPatrol, the Bloodpack teaming up to try and stave off eradication in the face of the terrifying Reaper threat has scored a Top 10 berth in eight different countries, and Blade II could be within touching distance of the worldwide Top 20 within the space of a couple of days.
The first installment was a game-changer, and the third was deservedly panned, which leaves the middle chapter to be overlooked far too often. Thanks to Netflix, though, the Blade II appreciation wagon has pulled out of the station, and not before time.
