Search - Frost: Portrait of a Vampire on DVD

BLOODLESS VAMPIRE MOVIE

Michael Butts | Martinsburg, WV USA | 02/10/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"And I don't mean literally. There is a good deal of blood spilled, but the problem with FROST PORTRAIT OF A VAMPIRE starts with the title. Wouldn't it indicate that Frost was the vampire? Not! Next: the movie hops around so much you don't really have any true concept of where we are in the script. There was an attempt in originality to make the vampire an Afghanistanian (or is it Afghan?), because that means he can walk around in the daylight. (Although later on, a big faux pas: Nat, the vampire, tells Frost the vampire hunter that guns can't kill him. BUT Nat himself shot the first vampire right in the head.) Also another convenience: you don't become a vampire until you die (that could be years later). Problem: We never really know when Nat died. ACTING: Well, Charles Lister as Nat tries hard, but other than the schlocky red eyes and the blood syrup, he isn't given much to work with. Why does he like being a vampire? He was a good Catholic boy at the start of the movie; he even chomps on a priest in the confessional later. No explanation is given for that one, either. Gary Busey (once nominated for an Oscar for "Buddy Holly Story" if you can believe that one) turns in another incredibly bad performance as the blind museum curator who spins the story for us. But, lordy lordy, where did Jeff Manzanares come from? The end credits said he was the stunt coordinator for the film, too. But why was he given the lead role? Now, let's focus on the word LEAD. With a long e, it's "lead", with a short e, It's "lead," like in the mineral. And that's what this beefy jerk gives in the role of Jack Frost (really, we've had killer snowmen and Michael Keaton already take this name, why bother with it again). The climax in the graveyard is downright silly, and the ending is so predictable, one can only sigh and say I told you so.

So why 2 stars instead of one? I don't know, guess I'm just in an unusually forgiving mood. But, what could have been an interesting vampire variation, merely becomes another one of those movies you can find in the 5.50 bin at Walmart. Wait until they drop it down to 2.50."