Vampire hunting with Honest Abe isn't as fun as it sounds.
You wouldn't think that a movie titled Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter would have a problem laughing at itself. But that's the case here. Surprisingly, the film seemed to take itself a little too seriously. It should've been much more fun than it was. I found myself longing for more outlandish scenes and more ridiculousness. The film was marketed as much more campy, bloody, & outrageous (think of Drag Me to Hell). The best scenes were the ones that were so insanely conceived that you can't help but laugh. Unfortunately, there's not enough of them! Some of the 3-D technology was implemented quite nicely (the smoke-filled set pieces, the dust floating in the air that reveals a sinister, invisible enemy), but others were disappointing. How many times are filmmakers going to make us sit through scenes where a character fires a bullet "at the audience" or cracks a whip "at the screen?" These are silly scenes that are more frustrating than fun. What the film boasts in atmospheric imagery it lacks heavily in screenwriting. The voice-over narration was a distraction from the film's vibrant visual flair. When done correctly, voice-over can greatly enhance a film (i.e. Taxi Driver, Double Indemnity). But when it's bad, it is BAD. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has got some entertainment value, but it can't seem to strike the proper balance of horror, camp, and comedy.
2.5 out of 5
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