Byzantium [Blu-ray]

As they are usually either uninspired or poorly produced, vampire films often need to be graded on a curve. Not so here. Despite minor flaws, Byzantium is undoubtedly one of the Top 10 vamp flicks of the 21st century; its very few peers include  Underworld  (2003),  Perfect Creature  (2006),  Only Lovers Left Alive  (2013),  30 Days Of Night  (2007), and Germany's  We Are The Night  (2010).Although I wasn't convinced in the first 15 or so minutes, the actors, production values, and most of the story turned out to be top grade. The only point of contention I see is the ending, which is sure to not please everyone (some people thrive on tragedy while others prefer not to be left in a pool of misery; some are not happy with ambiguous endings that don't neatly resolve every plot point).Looking at the top reviews of those who found fault with Byzantium, I am not seeing reasons I can agree with:- "Gemma Arterton's trout pout": seriously? A reviewer so fixated on an actor's mouth that it ruined the whole movie? Those lips are the ones she was born with, not a "surgical deformity"; furthermore, her character can be forgiven for pouting through most of the film, as it's no small task for a vamp to smile by default in a life outside of time.- "It's no Let the Right One In": no it is not, but that's okay since I found that film to be fairly predictable.- "there's not much blood sucking going on": again, seriously? If I were to time blood sucking incidents between this and most of the universally accepted top vampire films, there would be no less sucking going on in Byzantium (no pun intended). And who said that blood sucking is what makes a vampire film worth watching?Final comments. It's apparent some viewers won't find a sex worker antihero to be all that relatable, but her endearing daughter was as much the protagonist and should capture your imagination regardless of age. One of the strongest storytelling mechanisms of the vampire genre is an ability to go back in time further than a century to tell a tale of an individual's history (life + undead years), and that wasn't put to waste here.Undead "life is ironic" best moment: Saoirse Ronan's character watches  Dracula: Prince of Darkness  in one scene.Vampire rules in Byzantium are as follows: sunlight is not harmful; eternal life ends by decapitation; to enter a home, an invitation is necessary; to avoid the True Death, following the code of the Brethren (as the name suggests, women are not sought to join the exclusive brotherhood) is required.

I stumbled upon on this film doing research on Gemma Arterton's filmography. I skipped it initially as I'm not a huge vampire fan, and I incorrectly assumed this would be 2 hours of overly sexed up vampness. However, after reading a lot of the reviews - many of which state this film to be one of the most underrated vampire flicks and/or potentially one of the Top 5/10 best - I thought I would give it a go. And I am so glad I did. I have to thank ALL of the previous reviewers who highlighted the entertaining and intense performance given by Gemma Arterton, and the wonderfully nuanced performance given by Saoirse Ronan. I also appreciated the fact this was a different kind of vampire film that had NONE of what I would call the cliches that we all have come to know. In doing some additional research on the making of the film, director Neil Jordan's choice to abandon most of those cliches was deliberate; this made for a far more refreshing and - surprisingly good - viewing. If you like the genre, or are fans of either Arterton or Ronan, definitely worth a watch.

A truly underrated gem of a Vampire flick. Highly atmospheric, unusual and poetic, with a fantastic cast and lovely back story. The historical flashbacks are wonderful, and the modern story riveting. Should become with "Only Lovers Left Alive," a classic of the genre. Neil Jordan makes a wonderful second addition to the genre. I love that the author of the story was influenced by the earliest vampire stories; John Polidori's "The Vampire" and Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" both classics of the genre. This makes for an unusual addition to the vampire genre. I even bought this film in spite of the fact that I can watch it for free on Netflix; which was where I found it initially. That is saying something, as I'm on a very limited budget. If you enjoy classic, atmospheric, romantic Vampire stories, you won't be disappointed. About as far from "Twilight," as one could get, btw, not that I didn't find "Twilight" a guilty pleasure, but for a serious Vampire story that is a little more along the lines of the first imaginings of the genre, this is what you want.

It defies many preconceptions of vampires, like fangs and enhanced strength, the ability to float or fly, yet it emboldens other notions like a vampire must be welcomed into a home and that the hunger sometimes takes over when the smell of fresh blood is close.It is mostly a sad tale of living in secret, freezing time for those who are embraced by "the nameless saint" who they seek out.The film is well-made, with many of the backdrops providing a strong sense of feeling, such as the carnival scenes, and the waterfalls on the nameless island.I am no longer into gore flicks and even though there was a fair bit of violence and even decapitations, it seemed somewhat balanced with the intensity of the inner struggles and did not linger in the gruesome detail. The story had a lot going for it, and so did the production of the film itself.

Nothing offends in this movie--the acting is all good, the dialogue and plot are good. Plot is not great, but it's pretty good. Meaning? The vampire business is easier to take as metaphor in this film than in some lower quality vampire flicks. Girl tells her secret at the suggestion of someone who cares about her and indeed the truth sets her free. I don't wish to be crass but I mainly made it through because these two are very attractive. This is the second movie in a row I've watched that seemed to forcibly and clumsily espouse protecting the weak as a virtue.

Byzantium is an excellent vampire movie but it's not just a vampire movie. It's also a great movie about friendship, love and family which transcends genres. It is very aesthetic, the characters are interesting and the plot clever. There are also some great dialogues which continue to resonate long after the movie is over.But viewers beware, albeit the presence of gore scenes, this is not at all an action movie like "Blade", and even though the movie focuses clearly on the characters and their relations, it's not a cheesy romantic movie like the "The Twilight Saga" either. If this is what you are looking forward to, you'll be disappointed.This is a complex story that gives the viewers a small taste of immortality and its burden. I will put it in the same category as "Interview with a vampire" even if the stories are quite different. Note also the memorable performance of Saoirse Ronan who truly shines here.

Quite an old fashioned Vampire story to start with, takes a little while to get going, however it well worth the wait in my opinion, later on it puts a very interesting twist on the origins of Vampirism. Gemma for her role is really great I think. I really like it overall, plus last part of the movie does indeed pace up somewhat and have a few interesting developments,

If you are expecting fangs, crucifixes, coffins and garlic prepare to be surprised! These vampires are a new take on a familiar the I really enjoyed the gritty realism of this film It was shot mostly on location in the UK in Hastings, which for me gave it a familiar feel.I find it difficult to fault this film. The plot is intelligent and engaging. No one is entirely black or white. The heroes are flawed and complicated, the villains, for the most part, have motivation and even sympathy. I found myself rooting for the characters especially the innocent girl trapped into releasing those tired of life.

We've had many recent British movies attempting versions of American movie tropes. Here we get their take on the glamour of vampires from Interview with the Vampire. It's a dark fairy tale with Gemma Arterton the seductive, ageless center of what seems, in part, like a soap opera plot. Mercifully it's ignored the Twilight movies entirely and gone a different way portraying them as working class wanting a new direction rather than the aristocracy of the night. It really could have been done as a TV series but it's a good effort at doing something different with subject matter that's quickly becoming tired.

Pleasantly surprised. What a cracking good film. Slow burner, well acted, not your usual blood, gore and fangs vampire movie. Tasteful and modern. Recommend