Slayer is a Science Fiction Original movie. You will recognize various actors from other, more expensive films, but the fact remains. However, it is not a bad T.V. movie
there are much worse out there. In fact, Slayer is actually much better than most "A" list vampire movies
notably Underworld, Underworld 2, Dracula 2000, Blade 3 to name a few. The reasons for this are simple
solid production yields better film-making.
Slayer uses sets that appear real: jungles appear to be jungles, caves appear to be caves you are never transported away instead to the magical realm of "studio lot 57 smothered in cgi" as would be in "A" list film these days. Also, Slayer's actors do their own stunts, and you can actually enjoy the stunts as they are performed because they are not 1. filmed over in cgi or 2. cut up into a million tiny cuts that the obfuscate the actual action. Standards being what they are, these facts will probably count to the movie's discredit but that would be a sad and foolish thing.
Trite, cliché, and tired the story is nevertheless coherent, and well structured. The formula of "guy rescues ex wife with the help of plucky sidekick in order to defeat the evil villain who has corrupted his best friend" is something we've all seen before but here there's less of an effort done to package the formula in complete seriousness than is invested in simply executing it well. It is enough that actors deliver their lines and appear to enjoy being part of the cast there's an energy that comes from such performances, "pride," if you will. I would rather watch a thousand such camp performances than say, Edward Norton in the remake of The Italian Job, whose passive-aggressive role as villain is only as apt as it reflects his disrespect for the studio and his coworkers. Given that the dialogue in this film does however border on complete stupidity throughout.
Don't expect anything particular remarkable out of this film. The cgi that is used is VERY dated, the camera-work, while sharp, is noticeably perfunctory, the story is predictable, the gore-effects are see-through but you know what? Who cares! This film at least, is honest about itself. Most "A" films are this stupid, but there's no love involved in the making, just cold, computed box office estimates and rehashes. The result is crap like Underworld, and Underworld 2, completely "square" films with edges so hard you could cut your teeth on them. Slayer is a good old fashioned, well rounded, action-adventure-horror movie that's a little short on the brains (though it has its moments, including one ode to Apocalypse Now) but big on heart. It is not a creatively bankrupt marketing venture smeared in cgi honey and shoveled down the throats of teenage America if you're looking for that, go far far away from this one! ((Slayer is a standard action/adventure/horror TV movie. 50% completion plus 20% for above average execution. Not the finest amateur work out there, but better than most including many (if not all) of the "A" list vampire films of the past few years. 70%))
Slayer uses sets that appear real: jungles appear to be jungles, caves appear to be caves you are never transported away instead to the magical realm of "studio lot 57 smothered in cgi" as would be in "A" list film these days. Also, Slayer's actors do their own stunts, and you can actually enjoy the stunts as they are performed because they are not 1. filmed over in cgi or 2. cut up into a million tiny cuts that the obfuscate the actual action. Standards being what they are, these facts will probably count to the movie's discredit but that would be a sad and foolish thing.
Trite, cliché, and tired the story is nevertheless coherent, and well structured. The formula of "guy rescues ex wife with the help of plucky sidekick in order to defeat the evil villain who has corrupted his best friend" is something we've all seen before but here there's less of an effort done to package the formula in complete seriousness than is invested in simply executing it well. It is enough that actors deliver their lines and appear to enjoy being part of the cast there's an energy that comes from such performances, "pride," if you will. I would rather watch a thousand such camp performances than say, Edward Norton in the remake of The Italian Job, whose passive-aggressive role as villain is only as apt as it reflects his disrespect for the studio and his coworkers. Given that the dialogue in this film does however border on complete stupidity throughout.
Don't expect anything particular remarkable out of this film. The cgi that is used is VERY dated, the camera-work, while sharp, is noticeably perfunctory, the story is predictable, the gore-effects are see-through but you know what? Who cares! This film at least, is honest about itself. Most "A" films are this stupid, but there's no love involved in the making, just cold, computed box office estimates and rehashes. The result is crap like Underworld, and Underworld 2, completely "square" films with edges so hard you could cut your teeth on them. Slayer is a good old fashioned, well rounded, action-adventure-horror movie that's a little short on the brains (though it has its moments, including one ode to Apocalypse Now) but big on heart. It is not a creatively bankrupt marketing venture smeared in cgi honey and shoveled down the throats of teenage America if you're looking for that, go far far away from this one! ((Slayer is a standard action/adventure/horror TV movie. 50% completion plus 20% for above average execution. Not the finest amateur work out there, but better than most including many (if not all) of the "A" list vampire films of the past few years. 70%))