Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

"Vampire in Brooklyn" is probably one of Wes Craven's most underappreciated movies, and that for some weird reasons. The movie contains some chillings horror moments especially the dreams scenes with Angela Bassett. This type of scene is the ones we love from Craven. It's also got a romance between Bassett and Eddie Murphy's character. Their scenes together are great with a really good chemistry from the two actors. The problem about the movie is the comedy part. It's doesn't really match with the movie overall. BUT don't understimate it, it's a really entertaining movie with great scenes from Craven. It got the "People under the Stairs" and "New Nightmare" kind of vibe and it fits the movie perfectly.

I don't know why it is but I can't help but love pretty much the majority of movies from Eddie Murphy's career from the 80's onwards. Beverly Hills Cop, The Golden Child, Coming To America, Nutty Professor, Daddy Day Care, Shrek...you get the drift. Maybe I just have a soft spot for his humour and work. Even though he maybe a jerk in real life I just can't help but like his acting talents. Vampire In Brooklyn is certainly not his best work but I found myself enjoying watching it. It shows the beginning of his transformation as a multi-character actor and shows him slowly turning into the guy he is today.So he's not going to win any awards for this movie but it was entertaining enough and a new take on the Vampire phenomenon that has been happening on and off for the last 30 or so years.

Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Zakes Mokae, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon and Joanna Cassidy star in Wes Craven's 1995 horror comedy. Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop) plays Caribbean vampire, Maximillian who arrives in Brooklyn searching for a woman who is half vampire. Bassett (Waiting to Exhale) plays his interest, Rita who is a cop and he tries to seduce her, Payne (House of Payne) plays her partner, Justice who she finds romance with, the late, Mokae (The Serpent and the Rainbow) plays Zeko, an expert on vampires, Hardison (A Different World) plays Julius, a loser who becomes Max's ghoul, Witherspoon (Friday) plays boat watchman/landlord, Silas and Cassidy (Blade Runner) plays police captain, Dewey. This basically pays tribute and pokes fun at vampire flicks like "Blacula." It's not bad, Murphy is great in it, he and Bassett have good chemistry, Rick Baker's make-up effects are terrific as usual and J. Peter Robinson's score is also great. I recommend this.

Okay so heads up, this is a black / African American film, and for those who didn't know that initially (such as myself) and just went into it for a free vamp movie might / aught to know this. It's Stella got her Boomerang and at a low budget and that about sums it up...That said (and again I'm mentioning this as I saw it for free) honestly it kind of sucked far as a vamp movie goes. the whole premise is to get the main girl which IMHO is kind of retarded to begin with far as a vamp movie goes. At any rate the movie is quite lack luster in the action department as well as the general story and the Kobe Bryant look alike Allen Payne doesn't do it any more justice. It fails as a vamp movie and I don't care if it's trying to be sarcastic or not it really doesn't sell on any level.So here's my advice, the rating is as it deserves. If you're up late one night with nothing else to watch and a few too many in you, then feel free, I was in such a case and still found it a mess honestly. There are better things to waste two hours of your life on (like sleep), but that's just my opinion, you be the judge... If anything the movie is out of date, not due to special effects nor music as it really doesn't have any but for characters and if nothing else lack of anything goodEddie, I like what you've done in the past, but damn...