Rating: Summary: Great casting, lousy plot Review: Short version: Lovely visuals, Aaliyah was wonderful, Stuart Townsend was a good Lestat... too bad the plot was anorexically thin and the script stank. Longer version: OK, whose bright idea was it to take 2 books that could each be easily turned into a 3-hour flick, and cram 'em both into 2 hours? You lose a lot of the detail (which really is what makes Anne Rice's books stand out), like the plot, or the Legend of the Twins, which I always thought was a really neat point of the book. Add both The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned to my list of Books I'd Like to See as Movies, But Done Right This Time. Shame Aaliyah won't be there to play Akasha again.
Rating: Summary: If you read the book... Review: If you read (and enjoyed) Rice's novel upon which this movie is (very) loosely based, you will most likely NOT enjoy this version. Those familiar with the novel know it is no short read. I marveled at how a screenwriter could condense such a work into an hour and a half film... but this was before I actually watched it. Many many many important details are left out or neglected in the movie. The title, Queen of the Damned, leads one to believe the movie is about Akasha when really this movie focuses more on Lestat than anything else. We are never told of the origins of the vampire race as we are in Rice's novel (something I feel is very much the heart and point of the work). We are never told the significance of Jesse and Maharet--the ones with the red hair--or of Marahet's sister Mekare. We are never told the stories of those who confront Akasha; in fact, we're never even told that they are the famous Louis (Interview with the Vampire), Pandora, and Ramses (the Mummy). We don't get to see the complex relationships between the characters as well as we do in the novel. And some of what we DO see are twists of the actual plot (such as Marius' character being Lestat's main support when in the novel it was Louis by his side). Basically, all back information was dropped. This is some times beneficial to the viewer because one can get lost in the many intricate details of Rice's works. However, one can just as easily get lost in the lack of details, which is the main problem with this movie. The story line has so much more to give; I felt [cheated] after watching this version of it. The one positive thing I can say about this film is the exposure it gives to Stuart Townsend (Lestat) and Marguerite Moreau (Jesse), two wonderful actors who shine through the chaos and dullness of this movie. For those who were disappointed with this movie, I suggest reading the novel. Don't let the movie ruin this enthralling story for you. Anne Rice is about twenty times better at telling this story than Scott Abbott (the screenplay writer) is. For those of you who have read the book, don't bother with the movie. It will only leave a bitter taste in your mouth and a stone of disappointment in your heart. This movie is an insult to Anne Rice's work. If I were her, I'd sue.
Rating: Summary: Balinoor Review: I thought the movie was great, and the soundtrack is awesome. Some people are too critical of how a movie is changed from the book. When reading about a subject like Vampires, it would be impossible to create in a movie, what we imagine in our minds. Everyone who reads the books will get an image, or their own litte movie in their mind. No movie will ever match it. I also love the Anne Rice books, and think the Lestat in Queen of the Damned is the closest to the character in the books. Tom Cruise was not even close to my idea of Lestat.
Rating: Summary: VERY steamy love story Review: Have to admit, seeing Lestat portrayed as a rock star was rather a silly idea, but upon watching "Queen of the Damned", Stuart Townsend did a fantastic job of portraying Lestat. Stuart Townsend has to be one of the best looking leading men, AND he can act. Watching Mr. Townsend as Lestat was like watching someone come alive: sexy, lovely, viral, and oh sooooo nice in those low rise leather pants in one of the last scene with "Akasha" played beautifully by the since passed on, Aaliyah. The basic premise of this movie is a love story. And what a nice, sexy, seductive, sweet love story it is. I was moved by Lestat sensitivity in this movie, unlike "Interview With The Vampire". This Lestat is caring and wanting to learn and feel what it's like to be human~~again. I liked this DVD so much, I purchased it and watch it over-and-over. Each time seeing something different and special. Thanks so much to Stuart Townsend, a wonderful portrayal of a well known vampire~~Lestat.
Rating: Summary: BAD... BAD... VERY BAD... BAD. Review: It's a shame this piece of trash is based on an Anne Rice book, well at least the producers and director say that. This movie is just plain awful. A video music directed by Mark Romanek is way better than this film... Wait, it's way too much called this thing a film. I gave this piece of wasted celluloid a star 'cause it was a required field for post my review. This thing doesn't even deserve it.
Rating: Summary: Good Gothic movie that has nothing to do with the book Review: Just a note, for those of you that absolutely loved Anne Rice's book "The Queen of the Damned" you are not going to like this movie. Only the names and the overall plot are the same. Lestat is awaken after years of sleep by strong errie gothic music (not 70s music as in the book). He then takes his own brand of goth music and "rocks the world" so to speak. His music even awakens the ancient evil vampire queen Akashka. The Vampire community is mad that Lestat is telling the world about vampires, and scared to death of Akashka and decide to kill him. Now that Akashka is awake, she is killing anyone who doesn't agree with her, whether vampire or human. And because she is so old and powerful, no other vampire is strong enough to stop her. There is also a human love interest thrown in in the form of Jesse. Lestat is stuck between the vampires out to kill him and Akashka bent on killing the world. Overall, the movie is good, with plenty of spocky scenes, gothic music and a really cool killer battle about half way through. Aaliyah has an obviously great time playing Akashka and Stuart plays a much better Lestat than Cruise did in "Interview with a Vampire" For those who have read the series, they'll get laughs out of the few insider remarks. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy.
Rating: Summary: Poor Review: I thought the film was supposed to be amazing and actually related to the book. I found the acting rather poor with vampires who couldnt even act or look vampirey...Lestat had a few good moments and so did Aaliyah...Marius and all the others are a disgrace. It turns out that the only thing the book and the film have in common are the names. I can't believe Anne Rice allowed such a mess be shown.Even though it had so many mistakes I believe that Interview was thousands of times better than this. The music though gives it a major plus...so better buy the soundtrack than the DVD.
Rating: Summary: an awful mess Review: This is absolutely one of the worst movies that I've ever seen. First off, I had little idea as to what was going on. There was this vampire who at the first of the movie joined a rock group but after that I'm lost. I admit that I haven't read the book and from what I understand after reading some of the other reviews, you have to read the book to understand the movie. But that makes it a bad movie in my opinion. Because I shouldn't have to have read the book to be able to follow the movie. I hadn't read Interview with the Vampire when I saw that movie and I understood it. The character development was pathetic too. Other than Lestat I didn't even know the names of any of the characters. The acting was pretty bad also. The guy playing Lestat seemed to be trying to imitate Val Kilmer's performance as Jim Morrison in the Doors movie. So just avoid this turkey at all costs. It is awful and I totally regret that I spent my time and money on it.
Rating: Summary: Okay Review: Wow! Everyone is really ripping this movie apart. Even Anne Rice who siad she liked it when it was playng in the movie theaters now says she hates it, she said she loved Stuart as Lestat when it was in the movie theaters and now she hates it. Can anyone say gee Anne must have got a ciut from this movie. I've come to see Anne as kind of a nut lately and he last novel was awful.But with the death of her husband that may have made her a little crazy. But, we're here to talk about Queen of the Damned not Anne herself. This movie is nothing like the book and they used the title because if they didn't they loose the rights to the book and they loose the money they paid to aquire it.They made it quick they use as little of Anne's work as possible and they made a pretty cool movie. If you read the book just watch the movie knowing that you know all the insider stuff around Lestat and the Queen and that it doesn't need to be in here. If you use that kind of an additutde you might like it a little better.And watch the deleted stuff, every cool things there. BTW, to you Tom Cruise fans-please, he sucked a Lestat and Stuart Townsend should have been Lestat in Interview. But hey, David Geffin had to give Tom Cruise a reason to get in bed with him and he did...Ooops I shouldn't have said that. Oh well I did. Hey, out here in LA there's alot you people don't know. (wink---wink)
Rating: Summary: AT LAST ! A FILM TO PROMOTE ILLITERACY ! Review: If you'd like to insult the injured Anne Rice any further, then watch this 105-minute MTV escapee.
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