Blood: The Last Vampire (Blu-ray)

Gianna Jun plays Saya, a beautiful but deadly half human, half vampire, who, after her father was brutally murdered by the demon Onigen, joins the mysterious organisation known as the Council, in order to rid the Earth of all evil. In exchange for assistance in tracking down the monster that killed her father, Saya agrees to help the Council by infiltrating an American military base in Tokyo, where she must go under cover as a schoolgirl in order to identify and slay her demon classmates.

Based on Hiroyuki Kitakubo’s sublime 48-minute anime movie from 2000, this Hong Kong/French production brings the tale of the demon slayer to life in predictably over the top fashion, though it certainly lacks the grace of the original.

In order to extend the story to a feature-length running time, the plot has been padded out with very little substance, including an uninvolving back story and some atrocious dialogue. However, while half of the movie feels utterly redundant, there are times when Blood: The Last Vampire is actually rather good. There are some slick action sequences, some stunning CGI-assisted shots of neon-lit cityscapes and plenty of black demon blood spillage, and there’s nothing quite like seeing a 16-year-old schoolgirl roundhouse kicking the head off of a demon.

Indeed, it’s moments like this – when the film turns to excessive and enjoyable hokum – which sees Blood: The Last Vampire at its strongest, but with a flimsy script, a cast of actors who sound like they are being badly dubbed and some ropey special effects, the film feels like a missed opportunity.

The stylised visual look of the film is perfect for the Blu-ray format, and there are some beautiful shots that look positively stunning in hi-def. The night-time, rain-swept streets of Tokyo look glorious, with detail and texture bringing the neo-noir-like visuals to life, while flashback scenes within the brightly lit forests, look amazingly sharp and clean. 

The slicing and dicing of the demons cut through the entire room thanks to the potent surround sound, which does a terrific job with the swish of the samurai swords, the shrieks of the monsters and the splatters of blood. 

The extras are a bit of a letdown, and include a selection of rather dull and very short featurettes focusing on a few cast/crewmembers and specific scenes.

Overall Verdict: A disappointing live-action update of a modern anime classic, though the film is one hell of a looker in hi-def.

Special Features:
‘Gianna’ Featurette
‘Chris Mahon’ Featurette
‘Cory Yuen’ Featurette
‘The Metro’ Featurette
‘The Alley’ Featurette
‘Japanese Stars’ Featurette
Trailers
Gallery

Reviewer: Lee Griffiths