Unexpected Treasure: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

I have to admit. After seeing the trailer, I didn't think Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter would be a movie to brag about. I went to see it in the theater simply because of the "vampire" theme, and because I was curious to discover whether or not this would involve the historical vampire hunt, with garlic and frightened villagers digging up the dead to drive wooden stakes through gaseous and swollen cadavers.

All I can say is this Tim Burton movie was nothing of the sort. I felt fully entertained and pleased by both the story line, by the martial arts skill shown by Actor Benjamin Walker (who played Abraham Lincoln), and by all other special effects that made this a great and magical movie. It was a terrific film to see on a date because there's much to talk about over artichoke dip, chips, and fried shrimp after viewing it.

The movie begins with young Abraham Lincoln tracking his mother's murderer.
Poised and self-assured, with plenty of hatred girded up inside his arsenal of weaponry, Lincoln ends up with more than a few hard bumps and lessons in humiliation. That's thanks to the villain in this story being a powerful (although soulless and emotionally deprived) vampire.

As the scenes in this movie progressed, I was reminded of the special effects used during aerial martial-arts fights in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Except in this vampire film the ethereal combat is done much more quickly, with a greater intensity, and with better camera work -- as when Lincoln is chasing one of many vampires through the middle of a furious dust cloud, and with horses-stampeding all around them. That's when both man and fanged-beast engage in otherworldly combat. At times they seem to float while leaping from horse's back to horse's back and fall to the ground only to make a heroic escape from the pounding made by so many racing hooves. In another action-packed fight scene, the movie takes on a more unique feel - like a super-hero Spiderman train fight but with an old western-movie feel.

Benjamin Walker plays Abraham Lincoln
Dominic Cooper plays Abraham's martial arts-style mentor: Henry Sturgess
Anthony Mackie plays Abraham's life-time friend, Will Johnson