After the surprising success of "Blade," it's no surprise that four years later a sequel was spawned. A new director in tow, "Blade II" is the typical sequel, a lesser version of the original. That's not saying that the film is a failure, just a step down due to a few missteps and some really nasty CG work.

Slowly, the vampire ranks are dwindling due a new super-breed of the species called the Reapers. Genetically altered, this new strain is almost unstoppable. Left with no other choice, the vampires request the assistance of Blade (Wesley Snipes) in order to help them survive. The question is, can the Blade trust the vampires and can they trust Blade?

For those who unfortunately missed out on the original, a quick synopsis plays over the credits to get you up to speed. It doesn't cover everything, but you'll get the basics. What it fails to explain is how Blade's mentor Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) managed to survive. After committing suicide in the first "Blade," it's kind of hard to swallow that he has been brought back no worse for the wear.

One character that fails to return completely is Karen Jenson (played by N'Bushe Wright). Considering her serum is the one that brings Whistler back around, it would be nice to at least hear her name spoken at some point. There's not even an explanation for her absence. Adding to the obvious issues are the easily spotted plot twists. It doesn't take long to figure out who is going to turn on whom.

Beyond that, there are very few problems with the plot. It moves along swiftly, inter-cut with the usual round of stunning, choreographed fight sequences. Snipes is once again at his best, slicing away at the hoard like only Blade can. The new vampire breed is a cold, cruel breed, forced to feed relentlessly and able to withstand incredible punishment thanks to the tweaking of their DNA. They make a formidable enemy, certainly more so than the vampires in the original.

Their makeup is fantastic too. Though you can occasionally tell it's just all rubber, you won't feel sorry when these creatures are slainÖ. unless they become CG creations. Once again, the computer-generated effects are nothing short of awful, especially those used in a fight early in the film. Why they ever chose to replace Snipes and his adversary with "synthetic stuntmen" is baffling, but it's even worse to think the shots stayed in the film. There are a few other moments where the same models are used and they don't work there either.