Rating: 
Summary: The only reason I picked '1' is because there is no '0.'
Review: I'm shocked. And horrified. And astonished that some people actually gave this more than one star. Obviously not fans of the books... Or fans of movies in general for that matter. The only thing "borrowed" from the books were the names. If they were going to do it right, they would have made "The Vampire Lestat" and actually formed characters instead of making us guess as to who they were. I don't like the fact that this was "loosely" based on her books. Wasn't the point of making the movie to actually be based on the book? Or did I not get that memo? The characters were so underdeveloped it actually hurt to watch. The story was horrifying in the fact that it took aspects from both "..Lestat" and "The Queen of the Damned," and actually put them together in one story line. What's the point? Why bother? The acting was terrible. It was over-dramatic and over-played, and entirely too bloody for The Vampire Lestat. The screen play writers took the liberty of changing vital parts of the story line, so if they do (god forbid) decide to make "Tale of the Body Thief," the story will be nothing like it's supposed to and make even less sense then this one. I'm already praying to the appropriate gods of movie-making that they decide against this idea. If you've never read the books, I don't see how this movie could make any sense to you whatsoever. They explained absolutely nothing, gave us no background, yet expected us to understand the final product. I KNEW what they were getting at yet still felt utterly confused and unsatisfied at the end. I actually had to read the credits to see which characters they put in, and which they took out. And of the characters they did use, they didn't even bother audibly saying their names so we had no idea who they were. And what of "The Queen of the Damned"??? You think they'd actually put her in the movie for more than fifteen minutes. I don't think much of a Queen that can be taken down in 30 seconds. Oooh. Scary. I'm certainly glad I didn't spend eight dollars to see this movie in the theatre and was smart enough to wait until I could watch it for free. I'm still wishing I could get that hour and a half of my life back, but at least I still have my eight dollars. Now maybe I can rent something worth watching... like "Trapped in Paradise" with Nicolas Cage. Or "Cannibal Campout."
Rating:
Summary: OY VEY!
Review: What an awful adaption of a wonderful book. Pretty much everything important to plot and character development is chucked for this MTV style borefest. And so many questions! Why does the french Lestat have a Hungarian accent? Why is the 30 year old Jesse a teeny-bopper who dresses like Britney Spears? Where is Louis, Lestat's REAL love interest? Why does Lestat wear eyeshadow that makes him look like he has two black eyes? Since when is Marius Lestat's maker? Why does Armand look like a freaky she-man creature? Pandora dies?! Where is Maharet's twin, Mekare? Akasha was black rather than Egyptian? I did not recognize this story at all. The characters were comical cartoons of what they are in the book and the first film. Townsend has not the slightest clue who Lestat is. He would have done well to take some cues from watching Tom Cruise's performance in Interview With the Vampire. Perez is entirely too young to be Marius. A gross case of miscasting there. What's more, who ever understands a word he says? And Jesse as the lovestruck fan of Lestat may be the worst crime of all. Jessica Reeves is a mature, brilliant scholar who hardly has a romantic interest in Lestat. OR vice versa. I realize Hollywood prefers to shy away from homosexual overtones in mainstream films, but COME ON! That's part of what made the books so interesting to read! The relationships were not based on sexual attraction, but attraction of the mind and soul. Aalyah is the best part of the film, but even she is most times reduced to machine-like behavior and lines so cliche it made me flinch. The soundtrack is good. Buy it instead of this worthless film. If you want to see a film that sticks closely to the novels, get Interview With the Vampire.
Rating: 
Summary: A Bad, Misleading Movie
Review: I didn't read the Anne Rice novel that the movie is based on, but the way the movie was marketed, I thought that Aaliyah was the star. I was sadly mistaken. Stuart Townsend is the star and Aaliyah is only in a few short scenes. Even though Aaliyah wasn't in the movie that much, the story was not the greatest. I loved the move Interview With a Vampire, but this movie was totally off the mark.
Rating: 
Summary: Beloved Aaliyah Dana Haughton
Review: The Ancient Egyptians were unequivocally a Black people. If their statues and shrines cannot convince you-->nothing will. Nobody personifies the true essence of Ancient Kemites more than Aaliyah. Aaliyah's cryptic statue in the opening of the film and the revitalizing "Those Who Must Be Kept" scene, is a precise portrayal. A picture is supposedly worth a thousand words, however, Aaliyah's glass portrait is worth more than a million. Beginning with Aaliyah's haughtily condescending and enigmatic smirk, that is priceless. Aaliyah's mystically lithic presence exudes strength, beauty, resolve, and haughty steadfastness. They are some of the qualities that once inhabited many of the Black people of Ancient Kemet. Moreover, an African folktale is evoked in Queen of the Damned and not surprisingly gone unnoticed by dismissive audiences and critics. Here is a passage: "Once all Africans could fly like birds, but owning to their many transgressions, their wings were taken away. There remained, here and there, in the sea islands and out-of-way places in the country, some who had been overlooked, and had retained the power of flight, though they looked like other men." ...Read Between The Li-ines. Aaliyah is the highest most exalted one. Aaliyah's short screen time is a strong testament in it self because Aaliyah still embedded Queen of the Damned, contrary to popular belief, it is not because she made her early transition. Rashad Haughton divinely induces consubstantiation from the interweaving of his soothing voice, that melds supremely with Aaliyah's crisp vocals. Resplendent Aaliyah illuminates everything magnificent, beautifully brilliant, and the uncompromising wrath of The Sun. More Than A Woman... Aaliyah is another Scathing Shinning Serpent that is the vengeful eye of Ra. Aaliyah is the personification of the destructive sweltering rays of The Sun, whose aura permeates and pours out fire to scorch, sear, and consume, instantaneously, all the ones who disregarded the original teachings of The Sun. Subsequently, the folly targets become obliterated. Aaliyah plunges into her first destructive scene as effortless and graceful as the extraordinary birds of passage and prey. Aaliyah is a true golden leonine goddess. Aaliyah's divinely infused aura, with deep blackened eyes, are aroused to pleasure and immersing the vision after slicing through an insignificant bar that reeked of tainted specimens. Aaliyah's supercilious demeanor is seductively spellbinding and extremely gratifying to see captured on film. Suiting poetic justice. Aaliyah's lusciously mesmerizing lips, as always, are superbly exquisite and reminiscent of her blazing Hot Like Fire video. Moreover, Aaliyah perfects her fluidly insidious undulations where she slithers, slinks, and spits fire like the worlds most venomous, elapid, fierce snake: The Taipan of Australia, while emitting an exhaustive and poignant Breath-of-Death, like the burning winds that blow from the desert. The execution is captivatingly unparalleled as System inoculates the atmosphere. Aaliyah's translucent grin makes the revelatory sequence stunning and confirms its premonitory jolt. The cinematography is outstanding. Aaliyah radiates in her immaculately smooth bronze skin. Finally, capturing and immortalizing the essence of true undeniable beauty of film. *Red Rain* The disdain comes from your inbred obliquities... Institutionalized racism that is steeped in the chosen evil and greedy specimen desires for hierarchies, excessive material possessions, power, and knowledge used for destruction is the inevitable and deserved disintegration of this segmented universe. U Got Nerve?.. I don't think so...
We got somethin' for all the fools-->It ain't just rhythm and blues.... Forevermore, Aaliyah lives on...
Rating: 
Summary: Bloody Good Fun
Review: When she's good, Anne Rice's books are deliciously over the top. And so is the movie version of Queen of the Damned. The movie is fast, fun, sexy, and bloody -- just like her anti-hero, Lestat (Stuart Townsend), and villian Akasha (the late Aaliyah). And like Lestat himself, the movie never takes itself too seriously, avoiding the overbearing morbidity and dullness of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire. The only thing that could be more fun would be to bring Townsend back to film Tale of the Body Thief. My wife is already drooling in anticipation.
Rating:
Summary: don't expect the books, just entertainment
Review: It must be hard to condense one novel into a movie, and this movie is based on two. I was skeptical of the movie before seeing it, but when I did I couldn't wait to see it again.
There is much left out in this movie, many characters not included. For example: in the Vampire Lestat, Marius was not Lestat's maker, Magnus was. It took years for Lestat to find Marius. The movie skipped over Lestat aiding Akasha with the slaughter of men and left out the eating of the heart and brain....
But there were so many characters in the two books, they had to either be left out or given a very small part. They weren't really necessary for this little story. And the explanation of the sisters who eat the organs of their dead would be too much to explain. That's a whole movie in its self.
Jesse, on the other hand, was given a bigger part, and that was okay too, she was likeable.
The movie was well made, the actors well chosen, and the music excellent. You'll enjoy this if you see it for the rockin' entertainment!
Rating:
Summary: Turn away
Review: The acting in this horrific addaptation of Anne Rice is pathetic but the music, special effects and the cinematography were quite good. If only someone that actually liked the story would have written, cast and directed this story it might not have become the abomination that it is.
Rating:
Summary: Some films should be heard and not seen...
Review: I was sorely disappointed after seeing this film, although I tried not to expect too much. I didn't want to be be a purist about it, having read and loved the two books on which it is based. However, in this film some of my favourite characters were massacred beyond recognition, and I don't mean the way they looked. Jesse? Oh dear. Marius! How could they have done that to Marius!!! The whole love interest subplot destroyed the movies potential soul. The movie felt pointless. What was it about, in the end? None of the characters were strong enough to prop up this bumble of a movie. Watching the commentary on the DVD helped me to understand why they had made some of the changes. I did appreciate the many special features accompanying the DVD. However, the terrible acting, ill-researched costumes and even worse script gave the film less life than it's characters. This film was not worth making like this.
Aaliyah as Akasha was talented as a bratty queen, though a more powerful screen presence would have been fitting.
Stuart Townsend's Lestat was skillfully acted but he came off a little too Trent Reznor for me.
Marguerite Moreau as Jesse did what the script required of her (poor girl).
Vincent Perez as Marius seemed to me to be simply a replica of what Tom Cruise was as Lestat to Brad Pitt's Louis in the first film. Campy, in a bad way.
Paul McGann as David Talbot was tight but underused.
As for the Ancients, Pandora (Claudia Black) seemed like she was in a school play (to her credit, her lines were abysmal), Lena Olin as Maharet was forgettable, Mael (Christian Manon) reminded me of Christopher Lloyd on tranquilizers, Khayman (Bruce Spence) reminded me of Christopher Lloyd on LSD, and Matthew Newton's Armand would have looked more at home as a hobbit in Lord of the Rings. Seriously.
One big plus this movie has is the music. It helps that I like the genre, great stuff. Johnathon H Davis and Richard Gibbs rocked my world.
The highlights for me would be the concert scenes (the extras were the best and most natural actors) and the music videos, which were well directed. It's a shame the same can't be said of this terrible film.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie, Disappointing For Aaliyah Fans!
Review: Overall, I liked Queen Of The Damned, especially for its wonderful costuming (especially for "Akasha"), special effects, and scenary. I had to take off two stars because Aaliyah's role (Vampire Queen Akasha) in the movie should've been more substantial. Aaliyah appears somewhere in the middle (much to fans dismay) of the film. Rather than focusing on Lestat the entire time, they should've awakened Akasha earlier and developed her character and relationship with Lestat even more. Aaliyah & Stuart Townsend ("Lestat") did a marvelous job of acting. Aaliyah was perfect for "Akasha" because she has that mysterious aura to her (as a vampire does). I am sorry that such a talented individual such as Aaliyah had to pass so quickly. By the way, if you enjoyed Aaliyah's performance, her role in Romeo Must Die is also dazzling.
Rating:
Summary: Do not think of it as "Queen of the Damned"
Review: I am a big fan of Anne Rice and I love the Vampire Chronicles and I absolutely love Lestat!!! However when you watch the movie it's not Queen of the Damned its loosely based on the books by Anne Rice. I say just watch this as a vampire movie. It's great and I absolutely loved it as long as I don't compare it to the book that is. lol Stuart Townsend is gorgeous the perfect Lestat I'm in love with him, and the movie is fantastic. My favorite part is the concert..what can I say watch the movie! Lestat make me yours! ^.~*
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