Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (4½ Stars)

This is one of those films that I sat down to watch with the completely wrong expectations. I expected it to be a camp comedy. I mean, with a name like that what do you expect? And even the trailer seemed to point in that direction. But I was wrong, very wrong. This is a very serious film that doesn't play for laughs. The figure of Abraham Lincoln isn't ridiculed in the slightest, he is presented as a true hero, fighting for the country that he loves so much. History isn't changed in the film, the vampirism is cleverly woven into the historical events that children learn in school.

When Abraham was a child he witnessed his mother being killed. Years later he finds out that the killer was a vampire, so he works as a vampire slayer before entering politics. When he becomes president he learns that the true reason that the South wants to retain slavery is so that the slaves' blood can be used to feed the large vampire community in the South. The southern leaders enlist vampires to battle at Gettysburg. As the only person in the government who knows the truth of what is happening he has to devise a plan to defeat the army of the undead.

The quality of this film is astounding. It starts slowly and builds up momentum towards the end. I won't post a link to the trailer. It's awful. Just watch the film, and prepare to be amazed. And I shouldn't forget to mention Rufus Sewell, one of my favorite actors, especially when he plays a villain. He sends shivers down my spine whenever he enters a scene.