La Loi des vampires

Like the curate's egg' this film was good in parts, but they weren't very big parts.

I have always enjoyed the twist associated with 'good vampires' and I guess I am still waiting for a film to properly use it.

This film was too outré and grotesque (in the original meaning of the word) for it to have worked as anything other than an over-the-top dance-macabre of a film; a sort of Grand Guinol of the film world. Unfortunately it never really achieved this distinction and instead we are left with a mishmash of themes and failed attempts at being something that it never quite achieved.

The script and the acting were pretty deplorable and the direction was anything but tight, though still one can sort of envisage what was intended; and those stolen fleeting glimpses serve to supply enough motive to keep watching. In the end this continued attention is utterly frustrating, since the ending manages to further let one down and, indeed, the rest of the film.

I don't say 'Don't watch this film!' I would, however, warn you to keep you expectation low, and not to be too surprised if it fails to live up to them.

Based on the automobiles I would just call it an alternate earth ratherthen put it far in future and i would call it a dark sci-fi fantasy romantic thriller rather then horror perse. A world where vampires had come out of the closet so to speak is rather believable in that if vampires existed as they do in that setting, the problem would be more of the public at large believingb then disbelief. The chill of the movie comes from the reasons why some vampires don't want public view vs those wanting integration with society. The sub plot of the principal vampire animosity against discrimination of beief is very good along with the the human main character. The closer to life possibilities of the vampires of the story make them more believable as a branch of humanity then anything else. What has been found in recent years about various physical conditions makes the possibility of vampires and others existing. The darker alternate setting was more like 1984 then anything else but it would be better to call it as it appeared, an event of the late 50s based on the autos.

Calling it a B movie fits, but I viewed it for the storyline not the acting or action sequences but rather for being entertained. If one wants good acting or scenes there are other movies. If one likes a story to entertain and just chill a little this one fits nicely. View it for the story line not the scenes,or the acting but the story and one may enjoy it. It has now rerun on one channel 3 times and I keep finding little story gems.

I've seen too many movies. I admit it. That's why I can tell where most movies are going most of the time. This is especially true of horror movies. I don't mean to imply that all horror movies are same and therefore easily predictable. Rather that there is a tendency towards sameness when it comes to quickly made B grade horror movies. This tendency is what makes me treasure those rare B grade horror movies that manage to surprise me. Movies like "The Breed."

The movie, set in "the near future," opens with our main character, named Steve Grant (Bokeem Woodbine), and his partner tracking down a kidnapped girl. Grant is an agent of the NSA (National Security Agency) and I am unsure as to why an NSA Agent would be tracking a kidnapped girl. Unfortunately, so is the script. Moving on. The partners quickly find the girl (too late) and confront her kidnapper. The kidnapper turns out to be a vampire and slaughters Grant's partner.

It was at this point that I figured I knew where the movie was going. I assumed that this incident would open Grant's eye's to the world of the occult and he would either A) be kicked off the police force and become an independent vampire hunter or that B) he would be inducted into the secret branch of the police force that specializes in demolishing creatures of the night. Just as the movie looked to be headed straight for path B, it took a left turn and regained my interest. When Grant insists on telling the truth in his official report he is told that the Government has known about vampires for nearly a year and are working on integrating them into normal society. He is then introduced to his new partner, one Aaron Grey (Adrian Paul), who is a vampire and told that they must work together to catch this dangerous rogue who threatens the peace of both races.

This is a good premise for a movie and, to "The Breed's" credit, it tries to live up to this premise. It fails more than it succeeds, but at least it fails in a watchable way. The movie spends a little too much time on a murder investigation that isn't as complicated or as interesting as it seems. It sets up an ending that isn't as surprising as the movie wants it to be. It gives action scenes that aren't as exciting as they should be.

In between the scenes mentioned above we get a love story that, properly handled, could have been the basis for an entire movie of it's own. We watch two partners learn to trust each other and deal with their differences. We see totalitarian overtones to the government that, if played up more, could have added a whole new layer of depth to the movie. We meet some cool vampires. We see some cool death scenes.

Generally, this is a lousy movie, but it is a movie that tries hard. Sometimes, I'd rather watch a failure with high ambitions than a success with that settled for ordinary.

Made in 24 days for around 3 million dollars, this could have been another cheesy B-Movie Vampire flick. But its not. Set in a totalitarian future that the director admits is inspired by Terry Gilliam's Brazil, this is a moody piece where vampires are characters, not just monsters. Summary: if you go into it expecting Spielberg and big-budget effects, you will be disappointed. If you go into it expecting Corman and shoddy acting, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

This seems to be one of that rare breed -- a vampire film with emphasis on mood and storyline, rather than a gorefest like, for example, John Carpenter's Vampires. I'm thinking particularly of the twist involving the deadly virus poised for release and the several secrets and betrayals on both sides of the conflict between the rogue vampire and the alliance of humans and peaceful vampires. The self-conscious allusions to other examples of the genre should tip off viewers that this movie is not in the traditional mode of such films and that "vampire rules," whatever they are, do not apply. If you're a stickler for rules, look elsewhere. The blue filter over the camera lens, the dried leaves and black panther in Lucy's gothic mansion, the retro set design, and so on are there to create a mood, not simulate reality. After all, the concept of vampires is in its very nature an eerie dream; this movie treats it accordingly. There are some thoughtful lines, such as pasty-faced Aaron's response to his warm-blooded partner's curiosity about what it's like to suck human blood. That's a place you don't want to visit, he says, leaving his meaning up to the viewer and therefore allowing as complex a meaning as you are capable of giving it. Sure, the fog effects are overdone, Serenity looks pretty depressing, and Woodbine was miscast. This is not a perfect film. It's a B-grade monster movie with the courage of its convictions plus points for originality and some style into the bargain.