Initially, I wasn't a fan of this sequel. I had never heard of Guillermo del Toro and I didn't like the creature feature changes made to the vampires. It's funny how your tastes can change over time. Now, of course, I can see all the little signature del Toro touches from the predominant yellow lenses to the black catsuits and goggles. Blade (Wesley Snipes) and his new helper Scud (Norman Reedus) are on the hunt for Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) who did not die after the events of the last film. The bullet he attempted to eat came too late to keep him from turning. Fortunately, Blade has a cure for those who have been turned. With Whistler back to normal, they can go back to vampire hunting. Then they receive a delegation from a pair of high-ranking vampires requesting a truce. It seems the vampire virus has mutated into a super-hungry face-leech type carried by Nomak (Luke Goss). His new "crackhead" vamps feed on humans and fellow bloodsuckers alike and feed often. The ruling vampires have put together a team called the Blood Pack to work with Blade in order to destroy this new menace, led by pure-blood Nyssa (Leonor Varela). Blade finds his preconceptions challenged by the lovely lady.
It's not really fair to make the comparison but, after a repeat viewing, this is the Empire Strikes Back of this trilogy, the rare second chapter that improves upon the first. Blade manages to go through an entire character arc without sacrificing any of the ass-kicking. It's not space opera but it's a damn sight better than most comic book sequels.
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