John Carpenter’s Vampires – The Ultimate Battle of Good vs Evil
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: James Woods , Thomas Ian Griffith , Daniel Baldwin , Tim Guinee & Sheryl Lee
Synopsis: Recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team, a vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to walk in sunlight.
The Master of Horror delivers yet again
We are treated to an exciting gory action filled thrill ride in John Carpenter’s Vampires, the name that immediately conjures up Halloween, The Fog, and Escape From New York.
Vampires is based upon the novel of the same name written by John Steakley. Carpenter gets to blend the elements of a western with that of horror, though it wasn’t received with the greatest response this stands as one helluva classic in John Carpenter’s resume.
The Master Race
The film opens with Jack and his team clearing out a Vampire nest with ease. Jack was hoping to find a master vampire but came up empty. Still, it was a victory as vamps were killed. Little do the team know, a master, Valek was buried outside the nest and he seeks his revenge on Jack and his team.
Jack and his team are partying hard when Valek arrives and brutally slaughters everyone. Carpenter brings his bag of tricks to the mix and has bloods, guts and limbs flying everywhere. Jack and his right hand man Montoya barely make it out alive. During their escape they come across Katrina, a Hooker who at their party, has been bit by Valek and Jack knows she will be his way to find Valek as she will have a telepathic link to him during her transformation.
James Woods delivers a stellar performance as Jack Crow, he is a man driven by his mission and has a great relationship with his team. Woods was perfectly cast as the lead slayer. Thomas Ian Griffith is on top form as Valek and brings a menacing presence to the screen.
Verdict
Vampires is a fun action-horror-western with some great set pieces that will keep audiences hooked. The final battle of the movie is one to remember and amps up the stakes!
Vampires is an explosive Carpenter movie! Definitely worth sinking your teeth into!
