Cleaning Up
Vampires Jumps on The Slayer Bandwagon

As a lover of vampire movies, I can't help notice a growing trend in Hollywood. Whereas vampires used to be romanticized with long black cloaks and European accents, the films of late seem to be heading in another direction. Instead of focusing on the vampire, recent films like 1992's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and this year's Blade focus instead on those who are chosen to destroy these creatures of the night.

Director John Carpenter adds another film to the slayer category with Vampires. This time around, James Woods plays Jack Crow, the leader of a crack team of mercenaries on a holy quest to rid the world of bloodsuckers. Armed with a deadly arsenal and the blessing of the Catholic church, they move with methodical precision, cleaning vampire "nests" from the American southwest and celebrating their victories with drunken orgies afterward.

During one such raucous celebration, the team is attacked by a particularly nasty vampire (Thomas Ian Griffith, from Kull the Conqueror) who wipes them out. Only two of the team, and a bitten (but still alive) hooker (Sheryl Lee, from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me) escape the bloodbath. As they make their escape, Jack decides to check with the Church for more information about this invulnerable master vampire, Valek.

While Jack is haggling with Cardinal Alba (Maximillian Schell), the other member of the team Tony Montoya (Daniel Baldwin, from Mullhollan Falls) watches over Katrina, the hooker, and tries to use her link to her master to discover the whereabouts of the vampire. Although he knows she will "turn" in a matter of days, Tony convinces her that she may survive if they can kill Valek in time.

The story becomes a race against the clock, as Valek searches the southwest for a long-lost relic which can complete his unholy transformation and give him the power to walk in the sunlight. Jack and Tony have to find Valek before he can escape and use the relic, and before Katrina becomes a full vampire.

Although there are a number of interesting concepts in Vampires, there's not much that hasn't been seen before. Unlike his earlier work with The Thing, Carpenter seems to be trying to create an action film rather than a genuinely scary movie. The gore is overwhelming at times, as is the profanity that infuses the film. Carpenter also uses every chance to show gratuitous nudity. Needless to say, this is not one for the kiddies.

All in all, I found Vampires to be a mildly entertaining movie. Although predictable at times, and occasionaly distasteful, it makes a fun addition to the collection of vampire lore in American cinema. Sadly, it could have been much more.

MY RATING: 5 out of 10.

RATED: R
RUN TIME: 100 min.