Queen of the Damned

Apes Pick: Queen of the Damned



Why we picked this film: Since we watched Interview with a Vampire last time I figured we aught to go in order and finish this one up as well!

Beeps:  Queen of the Damned... I'm pretty sure I would have rated this much higher if this were my first time seeing it.  I really remember enjoying it.  The fourth-ish viewing... not so much.  I watched this with a much more critical eye since I was reviewing it for the site.  I'm not going to rant and rave about it, but it's worth noting that you can not go into this film expecting it to be similar, or even the character Lestat to be similar between the two movies.  It's best to watch this film as a different movie entirely and pretend that you never saw Interview.  With that out of the way, let's go on to the film itself.  The best thing about this movie is the performance of the late Aaliyah.  She is absolutely chilling as Akasha, but she really doesn't have to speak to do it, she's just... mesmerizing.  I own the soundtrack to this film, and I like the versions of the songs on the soundtrack a bit more, but the sound is definately a high point.  Johnathan Davis of Korn provides the singing for rockstar Lestat in the film, and bonus points to you if you caught his cameo.  The worst thing about the movie is well, the story.  Ouch, that's pretty much a deathblow in my opinion.  Queen of the damned in 10 seconds or less... And Go. So a vampire becomes a famous rock star, other vampires get pissed that he's in the open, but because he's in the open he attracts a fan, the original vampire.  She's got bloodlust, and that doesn't sit well with some other old vampires that you never get introduced to... and there's the movie.  Sadly, I'm not making this up, they really don't give you much story at all.  Something about the film attracts me to it every few years, but I think after this viewing, the next time I get the feeling to watch it, I may just leave it on the shelf...  2 Stars.

Apes: After watching this I'm pretty sure I had never seen it before, or at least not in its entirety. I definitely stayed engaged by this more than interview with a vampire, but a HUGE part of that was that this was new to me. Plus the music is way better. The lead male is meh... I don't want him to bite me, but I see how they were trying to at least make him look like Tom Cruise. The story is interesting, but it feels like huge chunks are missing. Who are these other people in the story, are they necessary, and could we have made this film work with out them?  Was it a love story? I mean a little, but that felt like an after thought. I say if you haven't seen it go for it. It is enjoyable, interesting, and dramatic (I haven't seen that much crushed velvet since I was back stage at a high school play!). However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this film would lose a LOT in a second viewing, (but it did make me want to read the books.) I give it 2 1/2 stars for being entertaining and interesting, but leaving me confused about the "extra" characters.

Overall we give this film 2 1/2 stars.

~Beeps and Apes