When I read Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, I wondered how he would adapt it
into a screenplay. The book is essentially a biography on Lincoln with some of
the facts emphasized to align with the vampire story. I figured he would have
to toss the biography and focus on the vampire element, which he did. He also
added a few new characters and rewrote the climax. Nonetheless, he takes gross
liberties with established historical personalities and events. The first half
of the movie, which follows Lincoln’s early career as a politician and vampire
hunter, is the film’s strongest segment.
Lincoln has a grudge against vampires for killing his mother.
(Historically, she dies of an unknown illness.) His attempts to eliminate her
murderer, Jack Barts (Marton Csokas, leads him to Henry Sturgess (Dominic
Cooper), veteran vampire hunter. Lincoln becomes his apprentice. He then moves
to Springfield, where he enters politics, romances Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth
Winstead) and kills vampires.
Things get muddled after this as the script condenses
events. Lincoln quickly becomes president and the Civil War looms. Apparently,
the Civil War is all about slaves being used as a plentiful source of food for
vampires. It seems the South is infested by vampires, with their leader, Adam
(Rufus Sewell), being closely allied with Jefferson Davis. At Gettysburg,
Lincoln figures out a way to beat back the vampires and this turns the tide of
the war. Never mind that his solution is preposterous; the climax makes for an
exciting action sequence. Abe is played by Benjamin Walker, a relatively
unknown actor who bears a resemblance to Lincoln although he seems stiff and
uncomfortable most of the time. Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Jimmi Simpson
are solid as his companions and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a winning Mary Todd
Lincoln. Rufus Sewell, effective as he always is, needs more screen time.
Perhaps if director Timur Bekmambetov had chosen to approach “Abraham Lincoln:
Vampire Hunter” with tongue firmly implanted in cheek the results might have
been more entertaining. 6/22/12
It takes a lot of nerve for an author like Seth Grahame-Smith to take liberties with the memory of such an historic figure as Aberham Lincoln. I have to give him credit even though it didn't really work. The book was exciting to read, much better than the movie. Much of the key parts of the story were left out and replaced with more vampires in order to reach the tqargetg audience. Skip it.
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