The Queen of the Damned
Seen: 2002-02-22
Overall: **
Writing: **
Acting: **
Cinematography: ** 1/2
Effects: ** 1/2
Music: ** 1/2
Art: * 1/2
Direction: **
Originality: ** 1/2
Enjoyment: **
Conditions: *** 1/2
Venue: AMC Westminster Promenade 24
Medium: Silver Screen
More Info
I was warned. I went anyway. The reviewers were right.
It's a far cry from the grand, mournful epic of Interview
with the Vampire.
The movie does bear some traces of the trademark Anne Rice
spirit of sorrowful passion. Unfortunately, they're
just that: traces. Sprinkled throughout the movie, to fit
in between a fight sequence here, an effects shot there, and
a smattering of metal pop clips which sound like they
were selected through a vision of ClearChannel heaven, as if to scream,
"Buy the soundtrack to this movie because these
artists are on it." What happened to the
beautifully haunting orchestral score which did so much
to enhance the tragic, centuries-spanning mood of Interview
with the Vampire?
The pacing of the movie was. Some of the slow-moving
scenes drag on into numbness, then unevenly seem to skip
forward in the story with little in the way of transition
or character development in between.
Stuart Townsend, playing the role of Lestat, is actually not
bad in his part. Scenes are played well, but
the evolution of his motivations throughout the arch of the
story as a whole are jittery and forced. I'd have to blame that
more on the writing and the acting. (This is
quite surprising, given Anne Rice's well known propensity
for weaving believable, sympathetic characters out of
these brutal creatures.)
Aaliyah, whose untimely death during the production has been
speculated to be the cause of some of the continuity
problems, also did a competent, if uninspiring,
performance. Honestly, those bare, pendulum-like swaying
hips were probably the most distinctive aspect of the portrayal.
Was the script full of holes to begin with, or did her
death bring a halt to the filming of scenes that might have
filled in those gaps? The world may never know for sure.
I could say more, both about other flaws in the
production, and the scattered "traces" of
spirit which bring to it some degree of merit. But
honestly, I don't think it's worth going on. This a
mediocre film. Anne Rice devotees will want to see it
anyway. (Various people in the crowd came
to the theater dressed in full vampire garb, which was kind of
entertaining in and of itself.)
Oh well. So I saw it. And this time, at least I got a
good seat. :)
I was warned. I went anyway. The reviewers were right. It's a far cry from the grand, mournful epic of Interview with the Vampire.
The movie does bear some traces of the trademark Anne Rice spirit of sorrowful passion. Unfortunately, they're just that: traces. Sprinkled throughout the movie, to fit in between a fight sequence here, an effects shot there, and a smattering of metal pop clips which sound like they were selected through a vision of ClearChannel heaven, as if to scream, "Buy the soundtrack to this movie because these artists are on it." What happened to the beautifully haunting orchestral score which did so much to enhance the tragic, centuries-spanning mood of Interview with the Vampire?
The pacing of the movie was. Some of the slow-moving scenes drag on into numbness, then unevenly seem to skip forward in the story with little in the way of transition or character development in between.
Stuart Townsend, playing the role of Lestat, is actually not bad in his part. Scenes are played well, but the evolution of his motivations throughout the arch of the story as a whole are jittery and forced. I'd have to blame that more on the writing and the acting. (This is quite surprising, given Anne Rice's well known propensity for weaving believable, sympathetic characters out of these brutal creatures.)
Aaliyah, whose untimely death during the production has been speculated to be the cause of some of the continuity problems, also did a competent, if uninspiring, performance. Honestly, those bare, pendulum-like swaying hips were probably the most distinctive aspect of the portrayal. Was the script full of holes to begin with, or did her death bring a halt to the filming of scenes that might have filled in those gaps? The world may never know for sure.
I could say more, both about other flaws in the production, and the scattered "traces" of spirit which bring to it some degree of merit. But honestly, I don't think it's worth going on. This a mediocre film. Anne Rice devotees will want to see it anyway. (Various people in the crowd came to the theater dressed in full vampire garb, which was kind of entertaining in and of itself.)
Oh well. So I saw it. And this time, at least I got a good seat. :)