Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

6/10

Starring

Benjamin Walker
Dominic Cooper
Anthony Mackie
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Rufus Sewell
Marton Csokas

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

 

I wasn’t holding on to my seat as I watched. I wasn’t jumping for joy as the bad guys got axed, and I wasn’t thrilled by the lines either. But I loved the way Lincoln handled the axe This is one of those movies, that you see when you have completed your house chores and you just want to have a lie down.

The movie is based on the 2010 mash-up novel of the same name written by Seth Grahame-Smith. It was directed and co-produced by Timur Bekmambetov, along with one of my favorite filmmakers, Tim Burton (as producer not director). Just like the movie poster shows, the real-life figure of Lincoln is reimagined as a vampire hunter, going after bloodsuckers to save America.

Anthony Mackie was the high note in the movie. He played Abe’s longtime friend, Will, who later joins the hunt for the undead. It’s mostly his portrayal of the character that made his presence more pronounced than that of the lead, Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln).

The plot is a little loose. It portrays vampires as one of the pioneers of the slave trade before the Civil War. In Lincoln’s attempt to stop their reign and expansion, the American Civil War breaks out. The war sees men going after vampires who can only be killed by silver. It’s a massacre on both sides, until Abe steps up to the task, wielding the axe all over the place. His life is nearly cut short a couple of times, but he always finds a way to come out on top, mostly unharmed.

The script is all over the place. The story is a little shallow, and some things didn’t add up. Maybe it’s just me, but I expected better cinematography. I wasn’t too thrilled by some camera angles. Tim Burton’s influence is felt in the directing style, but his production weight feels missing. The actors kind of grew into their roles, meaning at first they all seemed not so into it.

Unlike the mockbuster Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies, this movie starts with Abe having no beard, just a young man out for revenge. The beard shows up after he gets into politics.

Also, this movie didn’t have the wisecracks like the mockbuster. Anthony Mackie did well here, compared to the mockery acting displayed in Man On The Ledge. Benjamin Walker is a new face to me, but I guess he’ll now be known as the man who played Abraham Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Go see it. It was ok.