bert saw "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" . . . (Very Minor spoilers)

**bert** · 06-23-2012, 03:00 PM

and it wasn't awful. . .it was just kinda there.

We went ahead and saw the 3D version -- something we typically don't do, but felt like splurging, and in regards to that?. . yeah, they make great use of the 3D, with many scenes including dust, smoke, ash, or dirt floating in the foregrounds -- resulting in an extremely convincing 3D effect.

Unfortunately, the film is just plain bland.

the "action" is spread out into a few great set-pieces (including a spectacular train on a bridge (that's been set on fire) over a wide gorge). . but unfortunately, the more you think about these scenes, the more they fall apart.

tho to be honest, one extended fight scene: Abe vs a vampire across the top of a heard of stampeding horses - is so over the top stupid, we laughed with glee and clapped at the end of it. So a stupid scene isn't necessarily a bad one

We all did agree that the shoe-horning in of historical figures (tho we completely understand WHY, the film *is* somewhat historical), just doesn't work, and tends to pull the viewer completely out of the "universe" the film is set in.

what they SHOULD have done, is made some of the historical figures Vampires. . .I mean, really, the Vampire society is around and invading all walks of life (that's the dang plot!), but there are no Vampires in the Political circles who will attempt to assassinate Abe)?

I have to assume that the historical figures, had to remain "good". . otherwise it would have angered decedents. . but how fun would it have been to have discovered that Betsy Ross was a vampire, and in the time of Lincoln was still stalking the streets of Washington? Or that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were revived after their deaths in a secret plot?

overall, felt like a missed opportunity.

the Theatre we saw it in, had a TOTAL of 12 people in it (including us 3, and a family of 5). . . so not looking good for this. Think it's going to be a Bomb.

but it looked great, and had some potential.

I'd give it a C+ grade.

**The Mandarin** · 06-23-2012, 03:17 PM

I liked it well enough, but I agree with the "bland" criticism. It just felt like they could have had more fun with a concept as outrageous as Abe Lincoln as a vampire-slayer. I went in expecting something either completely awesome or so bad-it's-good.

Instead what I saw was the sort of movie I don't regret seeing, but forget an hour after I watched it. Or would have, if not for such a memorable premise.

**Duxdoom** · 06-23-2012, 04:07 PM

I was really really liking it, until it got to the civil war. I feel like things moved at an okay pace up until that point.

That being said, The stuff on the train was baller as hell. Story be damned, I loved the fight scenes. They were ridiculous and wonderful.

But yeah....the non-action stuff was a little underdone.

Of the two Vampire related films Seth Ghrame-Smith wrote this year, (this and the, in my humble opinion, terrible, Dark Shadows movie) Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is the one to see.

did anyone else make Scott Pilgrim jokes every time Mary Elizabeth Winstead was on the screen? Cause I did.

**Hugin** · 06-23-2012, 04:11 PM

So...go see Brave instead? Because I read all of this as "Go see Brave instead."

**Duxdoom** · 06-23-2012, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Hugin

So...go see Brave instead? Because I read all of this as "Go see Brave instead."

Go see Brave. Then on another day, perhaps for a matinee showing, see this.

**bert** · 06-23-2012, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Hugin

So...go see Brave instead? Because I read all of this as "Go see Brave instead."

we plan to see both.

but Brave had HUGE lines, and this one only had a few seats sold.

so we went to the one w/ less people.

Likely will see Brave next weekend.

**The Mandarin** · 06-23-2012, 04:49 PM

Yeah I tried to see "Brave" right after coming out of the Abe Lincoln movie, and there was literally only one ticket left. And I live in a small town whose theatre is usually bigger than what we need. Usually there is lots of empty seats even for popular movies because my little town just does not need a theatre this big.

**Lester C.** · 06-24-2012, 06:54 AM

Bert the book address a lot of the issues you had with the movie.

**ShaunN** · 06-25-2012, 05:38 AM

Interesting. I have absolutely no intention of seeing this - the very idea seems to me to be so abominably stupid that I won't waste my money. But I have heard that the book is actually quite good and does a much better job of making the whole historical thing work. I had not heard of the book until I started seeing the trailers for the movie, which had me cringing in my seat.

I saw "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" last night. Very melancholy and sweet, in a strange way, but not particularly funny. Oh, one cute thing about this - the woman who plays Steve Carell's wife at the start of the movie, who goes running from his car as fast as her legs will carry her, is his real-life wife, Nancy.