Abe’s a bust at vanquishing vampires, honest

By Roger Moore  McClatchy-Tribune News Service | Friday, June 22, 2012

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Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) makes a historic speech in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Benjamin Walker, as Abraham Lincoln, walks softly but carries a big ... ax in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Benjamin Walker, as Abraham Lincoln, walks softly but carries a big ... ax in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) takes aim - times two - against an army of the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) takes aim - times two - against an army of the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) and his vampire-battling mentor Henry Sturgis (Dominic Cooper) plan their next move during a fateful battle with the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) and his vampire-battling mentor Henry Sturgis (Dominic Cooper) plan their next move during a fateful battle with the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Bloodied vampire hunter Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) readies for battle with Vadoma (Erin Wasson) in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Bloodied vampire hunter Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) readies for battle with Vadoma (Erin Wasson) in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Alan Markfield/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) examines his vampire-hunting weapon of choice, a specially crafted axe, in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Alan Markfield/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) examines his vampire-hunting weapon of choice, a specially crafted axe, in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Benjamin Walker stars as Abraham Lincoln in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”
    ( Alan Markfield/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp )
    Benjamin Walker stars as Abraham Lincoln in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker, right) and his closest friend, Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie), prepare for an epic battle against the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker, right) and his closest friend, Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie), prepare for an epic battle against the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" explores the secret life of our greatest president, and the untold story that shaped our nation.
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    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" explores the secret life of our greatest president, and the untold story that shaped our nation.

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Benjamin Walker, as Abraham Lincoln, unleashes the full fury of his wrath against the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Benjamin Walker, as Abraham Lincoln, unleashes the full fury of his wrath against the undead in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Holding hostage Abraham’s best friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie, left), the head of the vampires, Adam (Rufus Sewell) and his aide Vadoma (Erin Wasson) await the future president’s arrival in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Holding hostage Abraham’s best friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie, left), the head of the vampires, Adam (Rufus Sewell) and his aide Vadoma (Erin Wasson) await the future president’s arrival in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Adam (Rufus Sewell), the chief of the vampires, prepares to unleash the full wrath of the undead against their deadliest foe, the 16th president of the United States, in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Adam (Rufus Sewell), the chief of the vampires, prepares to unleash the full wrath of the undead against their deadliest foe, the 16th president of the United States, in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
The vampire Vadoma (Erin Wasson) traps Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. The vampire Vadoma (Erin Wasson) traps Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker, right) and his closest friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) make their final stand atop a speeding train in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker, right) and his closest friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) make their final stand atop a speeding train in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • /Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Benjamin Walker as Abe Lincoln fights vampires with axe in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
    ( No Credit )
    /Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Benjamin Walker as Abe Lincoln fights vampires with axe in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

  • Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Director Timur Bekmambetov (right) and actor Benjamin Walker discuss a scene on the set of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."
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    Stephen Vaughan/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Director Timur Bekmambetov (right) and actor Benjamin Walker discuss a scene on the set of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

Review

? 1/2 (out of five stars)

Director: Timur Bekmambeto

Cast: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie

Rated: R for violence throughout and brief sexuality

Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

What did you think?: Find this review at charlestonscene.com and offer your opinion.

Hollywood has a long, rich tradition of historical abominations, but never has there been a history done more abominably than “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”

If only they’d made this insane conceit more fun. If only they’d taken it all a bit less seriously. But this film, adapted by the same fellow who wrote the inexplicably popular novel of the same title, isn’t even bad enough to be camp.

Seth Grahame-Smith’s silly script re-imagines the Rail Splitter as a vampire vanquisher, a man seeking vengeance on the monsters who killed his mother.

Snippets of real history slip into the story as Harriet Tubman makes an appearance, Abe debates Stephen Douglas (Alan Tudyk), courts Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and wears the burden of the bloodletting of the Civil War.

Dominic Cooper is the mentor who teaches Abe about the vampires among us. Anthony Mackie is the freed black man who is loyal to the death.

And Rufus Sewell, Marton Csokas and Erin Wasson are the vampire leaders who plot their victory at Gettysburg.

Director Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted,” “Nightwatch”) brings his usual visual verve to Abe’s many vampire battles — musket balls hurtling into the 3-D camera lens, slo-mo ax arcs, digital horses stampeding into our noses. It’s an alien past that he creates with his designers and cinematographer. But everything in between the action is badly written, badly acted and boring.

Which brings us to our leading man. Throughout Hollywood history, the towering screen presences of each era have blanched at playing Lincoln. Henry Fonda, Raymond Massey and Gregory Peck are among the few who dared tackle the character.

Inexperienced Benjamin Walker has the look of a young Liam Neeson about him. But Walker lacks the spark, the charisma, the confidence to play this guy as anything but a limp Lord of the Ax Dancers.

Where’s the humor, the wit? (Lincoln was a great joke teller, another bit of history Grahame-Smith ignored.) “Vampire Hunter” is a failure with poor Walker a tall, thin deer caught in the kerosene headlamps of a locomotive going off the tracks.

“History prefers legends to men,” Abe narrates from his diary. Grahame-Smith, Bekmambetov and Walker have conspired to give us none of the above — not the history, not a compelling legend and certainly not Lincoln the man.