Blade II represents a rare club: Movie sequels that don’t completely suck. Part of that success lies in the hiring of a visionary director, Guillermo del Toro, to supply fresh air to the franchise. Indeed, del Toro imparts his now-trademark energy and visual innovation, and thus elevates the film to even rarer territory: Blade II might be better than the first film.
As with its predecessor, this second Blade is blessed with the sense to never take itself too seriously. Del Toro and writer David S. Goyer work to keep the dark humor going and the pace lively. It’s actually a great blueprint for the Marvel movies to come: When in doubt, just make sure everyone’s having fun.
For this week’s Cinemavino, we take a long look back at 2002’s Blade II, an early entry in the modern superhero renaissance. Believe or not, this episode grows more timely by the minute: Marvel is currently working on a reboot of the character, starring two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. This new film will be part of the MCU’s Phase Five, and is scheduled for release in two years. (Take that with a grain of salt. COVID has made release schedules a little wonky.)
To pair with this film, we drink a great red blend called Horseshoes and Handgrenades. Sourced from Oregon and Washington, this wine features Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah. It’s bold, earthy, with just a hint of peppery notes on the finish. Put this wine with a Filet Mignon, or with your favorite Wesley Snipes movie! To learn more, click here.
As always, our podcast might contain a few spoilers, so proceed with caution. The Blade films can be found on HBOMax for streaming. Kick back, drink up, and enjoy another fine installment of Cinemavino!
To read my review of the film, click here.
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