Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Abraham Lincoln:  Vampire Hunter
Released 6/22/12, now in theaters

Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel is adapted to the big screen by director, Timur Bekmambetov and producer, Tim Burton.  The movie tells the fictional story of our 16th President with a previously unknown secret life as a demon slayer.

Lincoln is first introduced to the nosferatu as a young boy when his mother's life is taken by the vampire, Jack Barts, as payment for his father's debt.  Nine years after his father's death, the adult Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) hungers for vengeance against Barts and tracks him to the docks.  A fierce battle ensues and Lincoln believes he has killed Barts with a shot to the head.  The vampire gains the upper hand and is ready to kill his opponent when Lincoln is saved by Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper).  Henry allows Lincoln to recoup in his house and explains to him what type of creature Barts really is.  Henry has an intense dislike of vampires and Lincoln convinces him to train him as a hunter.  Armed with vampire killing skills and a silver tipped ax (bloodsuckers are allergic to silver in this one), Lincoln ventures to Springfield, IL.  There he studies to become a lawyer and meets his future wife, Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and future opponent, Stephen Douglas all while receiving a frequent vamp hit list from Henry.  Along the way, he discovers a secret about Henry that may just break the alliance between them.  There is a very specific reason Henry needs Abe.  When Lincoln becomes President and the Civil War begins, the Confederacy enlists the aide of Adam, the father of all vampires in America, to lend his hordes to the cause.  And why not, since vampires are plantation owners?  So, it's up to Lincoln and his allies to turn the tide of the war at the famous battle of Gettysburg.  If not, vampires will finally have "a nation of their own" according to Adam.

I'm a big fan of stories that turn history on its ear, so I was highly anticipating this movie.  And I did like it.  It's a fun summer horror/adventure feature.  The vampires looked beastly when they "vamped out" which is always good in a movie that deals with the undead.  Here that again, Twilight?  Sorry for ripping on those movies.  Just can't resist.  There was awesome work when Abe used his ax.  The way he flipped it around every part of his body kind of reminded me of Schwartzenegger in Conan the Barbarian.  The scene of Lincoln and his friend, William Johnson, on top of a speeding train fighting vamps and passing the weapon back and forth was nicely shot and exciting to watch. So that is the good.

The bad came in the ending for me.  I've never read Grahame-Smith's novel and have only read a synopsis on Wikipedia.  But if that source can be trusted the book ending is much more poignant than the ending the movie gives you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln,_Vampire_Hunter.

 A better ending, would have made for a higher rating from me.  Endings count.  However, it is still worth seeing once despite any negative reviews you read and, as I've read, there are quite a few.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

*** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit! 2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.