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RISE: BLOOD HUNTER (Unrated and Undead)
DVD Review by David Blackwell
DETAILS: 122 minutes, 4 behind-the-scenes featurettes, storyboard to screen featurettes, original theatrical trailer, previews
VIDEO: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, Spanish
STUDIO: SPHE/ Destination Films/ Samuel Goldwyn Films, Ghost House Pictures/ Kingsgate Films
RELEASE DATE: 10-9-2007
STARRING Lucy Liu (Sadie Blake), James D'Arcy (Bishop), Michael Chiklis, Carla Gugino
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED by Sebastian Gutierres
RISE: BLOOD HUNTER is a stylish diversion. The unrated version is 28 minutes longer than what was released in theaters.
Lucy Liu is Sadie Blake, a reporter, who ends up as a vampire after Bishop (James D'arcy) rapes and kills her. She doesn't
stay dead. She seeks revenge against him. RISE: BLOOD HUNTER isn't a classic at all. It does rise above some of the crappy
vampire films. The way the film is told in a non-linear fashion is a tired convention. Michael Chiklis does rise to his best
acting. Just too laidback like he is with the Fantastic 4 films.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Four brief Behind-The-Scenes featurettes (BLOOD, SEX AND MURDER, STUNTS, and LOCATION, LOCATION) run around eight minutes
total. They cover what they did to make the blood not be so sticky and how it comes off (shaving cream), the sexual allure
of vampires, the locations and sets, and the stunts (interviews with the stunt people and actors). It is all too brief and
yet they do pack some info on the film. I wish they did an audio commentary for RISE: BLOOD HUNTER. The four STORYBOARD
TO SCREEN featurettes compare four final scenes to the storyboards. Also included is the original theatrical trailer (a rarity
for SPHE releases) and previews for various films (KAW, RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION, THE COMPANY, URBAN JUSTICE, FIRST SNOW,
GHOST RIDER, and more).
FINAL ANALYSIS; RISE: BLOOD HUNTER has some bite. the extras are too brief and thankfully the theatrical trailer is included.
Lucy Liu stands out and this film may not be the best vampire film (but it is far from the worst).
this DVD review is (c)10-13-2007 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
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