Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox – 105 min – 2012 – Rated R -1080p – 2.40:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 7.1 Audio – UltraViolet Copy

We all know that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States; we know that he ended slavery; we know that at 6’4” he holds the record as the tallest President; and we know that he was assassinated at the Ford Theater in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth; but did you know that Abraham Lincoln was also a vampire killer? This is the basis for the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which is based on the alternate history novel of the President by author Seth Grahame-Smith. The film is now available on Blu-ray from Fox, and even though it is far-fetched and as over the top as you can imagine, if you just don’t take it seriously (and yes that is hard) you can have fun with it.

THE MOVIE

The film starts with a young Abraham Lincoln who witnesses his mother being attacked by powerful plantation owner named Jack Barts (Marton Csokas), who murders her, but Lincoln does not know how are why, he just wants vengeance. Later as a teenager, Lincoln tracks Barts and finally puts a bullet in him, but what would have killed any man doesn’t harm Barts, who turns the tables on young Lincoln and attempts to kill him. Lincoln’s life is sparred by a mysterious man named Henry Sturges (Dominic Cooper), who explains to him that Barts is a vampire and there are many others like him. He takes young Lincoln under his wing and trains him to be a vampire killer in the fashion of a Jedi Knight, but instead of a lightsaber, this hero’s weapon of choice is an axe.

Now an adult, Lincoln (played by Benjamin Walker) is an enthusiastic politician who is still slaying vampires like Buffy, but he has also attracted the attention of a young lady named Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who he courts and marries. Lincoln learns that the vampires of the world are attempting an uprising to turn all non-vampires into their slaves and realizes that he has to insure that he becomes the next President of the United States so he has the power to stop them. This unfolds into an all out battle between the forces of the living and the dead, which weaves in and out of actual historical events related to the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation.

This film is in no way perfect, but it has its moments, especially if you know anything about Abraham Lincoln’s life. There is also interweaving of other famous figures and events of that era such as introducing author Edgar Allan Poe, who informs Lincoln of the world domination goals of the vampire legion. The Underground Railroad, which was the secret manner that escaping slaves used to seek freedom, is also highlighted in the story as a means to transport silver to Gettysburg so that Lincoln can use it in his arsenal in the battle against the undead.

Yes, this is all hard to swallow and most would just say its ridiculous, but it’s an alternate history tale. If Sam Raimi made this film in the 90’s and it was played out like an Evil Dead movie, it would have been awesome for its time. The film was produced by Tim Burton and Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, who is no stranger to the horror genre because he helmed the Russian cult films Night Watch and Day Watch. Bekmambetov also directed the 2008 comic book adaption of Wanted starring Angelina Jolie, which was a huge success and put him on the map as an action director. His action style is all over Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, including a similar train collision sequence in the finale.

This film was not a huge box office success in the US, but it made money overseas and broke the $100 million dollar mark. There will never be a sequel because obviously Lincoln dies in the end, but it is worth at least a rental to see if it works for you or not. With Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln movie currently in theaters and receiving strong praise, seeing one of America’s greatest icons fighting the undead may not be on the top of anyone’s wishlist, but on a Saturday night while sitting on your couch and eating Hot Pockets, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter may become a guilty pleasure.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, this Blu-ray looks good, but being that 80% of the movie takes place at night, there is plenty of grain and you may miss things that happen in the dark. Colors are muted to give the film an aged look, but it also makes the image quality look somewhat foggy. In close-ups you see plenty of detail, but wider shots lose their sharpness. The film was released as a 3D movie, so it would be interesting to see the quality of that version against this 2D transfer. Overall it’s not bad, just not a jaw-dropper.

SOUND

The audio quality leaps over the image with an ear shattering DTS-HD 7.1 surround track that will blow you away if your home system is equipped for it. Dialogue is strong and clear, and background ambience plays with the element of fear. When the action expands such as the train collision climax your room will be filled with the sounds of steel wheels pounding across metal tracks, screaming vampires as they are split open, and of course explosions galore. The score by Henry Jackson also stands strong and draw you into the action.

EXTRAS

For a vampire film the bonus features are somewhat anemic, but there is a near feature length making of doc that stands out.

Oddly director Timur Bekmambetov does not provide an audio commentary track. Instead the author of the book and screenplay Seth Grahame-Smith talks about the origins of the story and translating it to the big screen.

The Making of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is the best feature on the disc, running at 1:15 minutes and broken up into five mini docs that cover the full scope of the film. There’s actually a lot of good stuff in here that may make you appreciate the movie in a different way.

The Great Calamity is a short animated film that ties into the film’s scene where Lincoln meets famous Author Edgar Allen Poe. It’s interesting to watch once.

If you’re a fan of Linkin Park, their song and music video for ‘Powerless’ can be accessed.

Want your Lincoln on the go? Well the included Ultraviolet Copy can be downloaded for your mobile viewing pleasure.

BOTTOM LINE

Ok, this film will not get any Oscar nominations like Spielberg’s Lincoln movie will, but it wasn’t made for that. This Blu-ray of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter offers decent image quality and excellent audio, but because of the subject it’s a tough sell. This may end up being a cult fave a few years from now, but as of this writing it’s for fans only.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 3.0

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.0