Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter DVD Review

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Cast: Benjamin Walker, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper, Rufus Sewell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Alan Tudyk, Jimmi Simpson and Martin Csokas.

Certificate: 15

Running time: 105 Minutes

Extras (Blu-ray): The Great Calamity Graphic Novel, Audio Commentary with Seth Grahame-Smith, The Making of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, ‘Powerless’ music video by Linkin Park

Are you ready to throw out historical accuracy, logic and escape to a truly crazy side of escapism? Good, you’re in the correct place for our DVD review of the truly bonkers ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER.

Timur Bekmambetov is a very different kind of director, who possibly relies on CGI a slightly too much but still manages to come up with a distinctive touch every time. Previously famed for NIGHTWATCH, DAYWATCH and WANTED, this stage he explore the life of Abraham Lincoln and gives him a vampire hunting past, from his youth and throughout his Presidency, it’s an idea of ambitious scale. The film is based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, who has adapted the as a screenplay and the inimitable trio are completed with Tim Burton producing.

Benjamin Walker stars as the legendary 16th US President and is a solid lead who, quite uncannily, resembles Eric Bana and Liam Neeson as one. In the beginning, we’re introduced to honest Abe as a child, as he watches his mother die…but her death isn’t an ordinary one. She’s poisoned through a Vampire bite and young Abraham accidentally witnesses the scene. As he grows older, Abraham gets drunker and plans to go out to kill the man who murdered his mother but, of course, he can’t because that man is a literal bloody vampire.

Step in Brit-ace Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturges, who knows a thing or two about killing vampires and trains him up, montage style. These scenes with Walker’s Lincoln as he learns to kill with Axe and various modern fighting methods will remind you of Bekmambetov’s WANTED but it’s not over-blown and we get to the even better stuff swiftly. i.e. Vampire slaying is not too far away as Lincoln pursues his vengeance. It’s probably easy to hate this film for quite apparent flaws but when it comes to slaughter, quick-witted laughter and head dismemberment, it’s perfectly done.

Helping Lincoln along the way are his troupe of Cooper’s Sturges, Anthony Mackie’s Will Johnson and Jimmi Simpson as Joshua Speed. The exquisite Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln, also provides a very strong accompaniment to Walker’s lead and quite tremendous in her own right. Plus, you can’t forget one of the best in the business, for quintessential baddie, in the shape of Rufus Sewell as Adam, as a vampire lord who does everything in his immortal power to kill Abe.

Throw out cynical reason for ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER and you’ll have one hell of a bloody great time, in every context of the word.  Also, where else would you get to see vampires leaping through hundreds of horses whilst they flee in a herd – an impossible shot – and a gigantic set piece with a steam train, some vampire hunters and a bridge across a ravine on fire? It’s got it.

 ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER is out on DVD & Blu-ray October 22nd. It can be pre-ordered here now.