Starring: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper
I have been looking forward to this movie for a LONG ASS TIME.
The film follows the life of Abraham Lincoln, one of our countries greatest presidents to date. Beginning with his childhood, it tells the story of young Abe losing his mother to something he wouldn't understand until years later: a vampire.
Once Abe makes this discovery, he devotes his life to purging the United States of these blood sucking demons, and becomes one of the greatest hunters in American history.
For those of you who do not know, this film is based on a novel.
Seth Grahame-Smith did quite an incredible thing here.
He created this fabrication based on the "secret diaries" of our former president, using an epistolary-style composed of at least a dozen different documents.
The book follows Abe throughout his struggle with vampires as he grows from a young boy to a weathered man, until his assassination in 1865.
It shares the secret behind the Civil War, and introduces us to many different characters (some we are all very familiar with)
The film follows the life of Abraham Lincoln, one of our countries greatest presidents to date. Beginning with his childhood, it tells the story of young Abe losing his mother to something he wouldn't understand until years later: a vampire.
Once Abe makes this discovery, he devotes his life to purging the United States of these blood sucking demons, and becomes one of the greatest hunters in American history.
For those of you who do not know, this film is based on a novel.
Seth Grahame-Smith did quite an incredible thing here.
He created this fabrication based on the "secret diaries" of our former president, using an epistolary-style composed of at least a dozen different documents.
The book follows Abe throughout his struggle with vampires as he grows from a young boy to a weathered man, until his assassination in 1865.
It shares the secret behind the Civil War, and introduces us to many different characters (some we are all very familiar with)
as they pass in and out of Abe's life.
For those of you who knew that, I caution you...
THE MOVIE IS NOTHING LIKE THE NOVEL
Thankfully, a friend of mine saw the movie before I did and gave the heads up.
And thank God she did because if I had gone into that theater unaware of that little fact, I would have been one pissed off cookie.
For those of you who knew that, I caution you...
THE MOVIE IS NOTHING LIKE THE NOVEL
Thankfully, a friend of mine saw the movie before I did and gave the heads up.
And thank God she did because if I had gone into that theater unaware of that little fact, I would have been one pissed off cookie.
The underlying plot of Abe and his quest for bloodstained vengeance is the same, but everything else is either altered from the book or none existent.
The movie introduces 3 main characters that aren't in the book whatsoever.
Other smaller characters are left out completely.
The movie introduces 3 main characters that aren't in the book whatsoever.
Other smaller characters are left out completely.
(Abe's sister, step mother, and his friend Jack)
Events are changed, probably to cut down on time (which is something I understand)
And there is much more action, and by that I mean, scenes of fighting and...I hate to say it...awesomeness that weren't anywhere in the book at all.
But the thing is, I feel that the movie wouldn't have been as good if they hadn't made some of these changes.
I know, I know, the book was amazing so why fuck with the movie?
But here's the thing:
The novel was written more like a biography, with lots of small little stories and details and people. That's what was so great about it.
Events are changed, probably to cut down on time (which is something I understand)
And there is much more action, and by that I mean, scenes of fighting and...I hate to say it...awesomeness that weren't anywhere in the book at all.
But the thing is, I feel that the movie wouldn't have been as good if they hadn't made some of these changes.
I know, I know, the book was amazing so why fuck with the movie?
But here's the thing:
The novel was written more like a biography, with lots of small little stories and details and people. That's what was so great about it.
When you read this book, you feel like you're right there with Abraham Fucking Lincoln and he's telling you the stories of his life,
and you follow him and see what he sees and it's extraordinary!
But the novel doesn't have the plot structure that a movie requires.
It has action all throughout, but never a big climax.
It has a shit ton a characters, all only appearing for sections of the story.
But I think the biggest fact that needed changing was that
there was no face to the villain.
Vampires, sure, but no head vampire that needs to be slayed.
No constant bad guy that had you counting the chapters until he dies.
And the thing is, a movie needs that.
But don't worry, Seth Grahame-Smith wrote the screenplay for the movie,
so at least it's still coming from the same mind.
But, overall it was a really good movie.
I'm a total history buff, so when I heard about this book / movie I knew that I would love it.
And like I said, I'm really happy that my friend warned me,
because it gave me time to mentally prepare so that I could actually enjoy the movie without being let down.
The cast (and Benjamin Walker in particular) did a wonderful job and the special effects were incredible.
Great movie!
OVERALL:
Thanks loves!
See you next time!
and you follow him and see what he sees and it's extraordinary!
But the novel doesn't have the plot structure that a movie requires.
It has action all throughout, but never a big climax.
It has a shit ton a characters, all only appearing for sections of the story.
But I think the biggest fact that needed changing was that
there was no face to the villain.
Vampires, sure, but no head vampire that needs to be slayed.
No constant bad guy that had you counting the chapters until he dies.
And the thing is, a movie needs that.
But don't worry, Seth Grahame-Smith wrote the screenplay for the movie,
so at least it's still coming from the same mind.
But, overall it was a really good movie.
I'm a total history buff, so when I heard about this book / movie I knew that I would love it.
And like I said, I'm really happy that my friend warned me,
because it gave me time to mentally prepare so that I could actually enjoy the movie without being let down.
The cast (and Benjamin Walker in particular) did a wonderful job and the special effects were incredible.
Great movie!
OVERALL:
Thanks loves!
See you next time!
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