Brilliant and touching

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I just saw this movie last night, cause it look interesting. An award-winning and critically acclaimed b-movie. It should work as a warning call, i know... Because if it won an award at some horror movie festival... and some critics liked it... there's a good chance it's really really pretentious! And what do you know? It was! Ha HA HAA! Some people say here on IMDb that it is an "intellegent vampire movie". This movie has the same problems most Asian horror movies has. Its too damn "smart" for its own good. And its also supposed to be romantic and sexy, because anyone with half a brain knows that the whole vampire mythology and Dracula is all about sex. But this was more like watching one of those Harlequin movies my mother likes. I'm not banging independent vampire flicks... but i've seen better ones... and worse... Vlad is better then say... way of the vampire. And in i'ts defense i can say that Hollywood hasn't put out a decent vampire movie in... well... i guess the early 70's. And yes i am counting the chick flick "bram stokers Dracula".Oh, and if they ever make a movie about Lenin, Billy Zane should play the lead! Anyway, don't rent or buy this... pick up a copy of "dracula 2001"... it's rubbish too... but you can always amuse yourself by staring at Jeri Ryans tits. Unless you're in to the whole goat boy look, then Vlad is the movie for you!

I very much enjoyed Vlad. What attracted me was first, I love horror movies and the actors who were in it such as Kam Heskin, Francesco Quinn, Billy Zane, and Paul Popowich each of whelm played their roles very well.I love "Dracula" movies that give you a back story as to how he became who he would become. It helps the viewer to understand why he is who he is and that he is not just a one dimensional villain.Circumstances beyond his control were the reason he would become Vlad Dracul. Francesco Quinn portrays Vlad very convincing as well as give you the person as well as the demon he has become. One can't help but feel empathy for him.Kam Heskin, from Sunset Beach, plays Alexa Meyer, who becomes the object of Vlad's desire and he obsession to possess her which he does. She plays her role well as Alexa goes from being scared to being Vlad's slave. The viewer believes the transformation. The seduction scene was very well done. Not too much or too little. It was just right. On the DVD, they have an alternate ending which shows that Alexa still under Vlad's control and that she is no longer who she once was.After Vlad kidnaps Alexa, her brother Jeff played by Paul Popowich goes to rescue her from Vlad's clutches. Along with him are the other companions who went along with them on this trip to Europe.The fight scenes were very good and not at all cheesy as some horror movies can be. You could see the characters fighting to the death.The other actors were just as good at playing their roles. The priest who tried to empathize with Vlad by understanding him was good even thought it did not work as he had wanted but he tried all the same.It was a wonderful movie and I would recommend it to anyone who liked horror movies or Dracula.

I was lucky enough to catch this film at a screening in Los Angeles and enjoyed it immensely. What I liked most was the way the film blends all the classic elements in a traditional vampire film, but remains unique in its approach. Rather than relying on blood and gore, it portrays Vlad the Impaler as more than a monster. We're shown glimpses of his past and quickly empathize with his pain, even as we're terrified by his brutality.The love stories woven into the film and the pace at which it's told keep you emotionally invested and on the edge of your seat. The tone and feel of romance, aided by the beautiful backdrop of the Carpathian mountains, is undeniable and moving.The film carefully balances love and anguish while merging past and present worlds. Even though it's set in modern day, the film shows how we as people face the same struggles throughout our history. Vlad is incredibly well thought out and acted, and should be enjoyable to a wide range of people. The nudity and violence in the film is done with taste and purpose and I'd recommend this film to anyone that wants a romantic saga about one of the world's most notorious monsters.

As a fan of independent films, I expect some sort of originality and a unique approach to the story. The fact that this has the vampire aspect about it could have made it just like all of the other hundreds of vampire movies out there. But I was pleasantly surprised when I saw VLAD. The story gives the viewer a little history lesson about how the whole Dracula phenomenom started. I for one, had no idea that Dracula is based off of Vlad the Impaler, a real life terror to people during the 15th century. This wasn't a movie about a blood-sucking monster but rather about 4 students who go to Romania to research different aspects of the myth that surrounds Vlad. Without giving away too much of the story, I'll just say that it was a very different and interesting take on the vampire myth. The first thing I noticed about this film was how breathtaking the cinematography was. Shot in the Carpathiean mountains, the outdoor scenes are absolutely beautiful. Between the scenery and the musical score alone, I found the film to be very haunting and realistic. This film is the first for the director and was independantly done which means low-budget. I'm amazed because it looks so beautiful and better than some big-budget features that are out in theaters right now. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to see a unique and different approach to a film that isn't about vampires but about a myth that has love, devotion, and ultimately vengeance.