Every Blade Movie, Ranked

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most successful franchises of all time, but there was a time when Hollywood struggled to bring these characters to the big screen. It wasn't until the mid-2000s that Marvel flicks really hit their stride and delivered the goods on a consistent basis, but some gems were released before then. In 1998, "Blade" changed superhero movies and no one noticed, spawning a franchise that turned Wesley Snipes' titular Daywalker into an icon.

The "Blade" films chronicle the adventures of the eponymous half-human, half-vampire warrior as he lays waste to creatures of the night. They contain exquisite martial arts sequences, swords, gunplay, techno music, and an attitude that's cooler than a polar bear's toenails. It isn't uncommon to see Blade's cinematic adventures listed among the best superhero films ever made, and while the films vary in quality, they're all enjoyable in their own right. Ranking the "Blade" movies was no easy task, but here they are listed from least fang-tastic to most fang-tastic.

"Blade: Trinity" is remembered more for Wesley Snipes' bizarre filming antics than anything that happens in the movie. From barely showing up on set to communicating with director David S. Goyer through sticky notes, Snipes' behind-the-scenes behavior is the stuff of Hollywood legend, but that shouldn't detract from the schlocky fun this film has to offer.

"Blade: Trinity" sees our hero get framed for murder by some evil vampires who are in cahoots with corrupt cops. Fortunately, he's saved by Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds) and Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel), aka the Nightstalkers, who need his help to stop Dracula (Dominic Purcell) from ushering in a new age of darkness. Blade doesn't exactly get along with his new allies, but they're forced to put their differences aside for the greater good.

"Blade: Trinity" has been lambasted for having an incoherent story, and there is some truth to this criticism. However, the charismatic cast's energetic performances transcend the story's deficiencies, and the characters are given some terrific one-liners and crude insults to work with, the majority of which are too naughty to repeat here. The threequel also gave us Blade's iconic metaphor about people ice-skating uphill, which he repeated in "Deadpool and Wolverine," proving that this maligned flick has its enduring qualities. Most impressive, however, is the inclusion of a vampire Pomeranian that's more bite than bark, yet still quite adorable.

"Blade" will go down in history as one of the most important superhero movies ever made. Directed by Stephen Norrington, it revived comic book adaptations after films like "Batman and Robin" turned them into a laughingstock in the '90s. Fortunately, "Blade" is cool from the get-go, as the mayhem opens with Wesley Snipes' harbinger of doom slashing his way through a club full of vampires, as blood rains down from the ceiling and techno music blares from the speakers.

The story follows the eponymous Daywalker as he goes to war with Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) and his posse of upstart vampires, who need the Daywalker's blood so they can gain enough power to take over the world. Naturally, Blade isn't willing to hand over his red stuff without a fight, and all hell breaks loose.

"Blade" is a slick actioner that delivers plenty of thrills, chills, and blood spills, but it also explores some interesting ideas pertaining to tradition vs. modernity. Frost is a forward-thinking bloodsucker who wants to eliminate the council of elderly vampires that rules the roost; he views humanity as a buffet, but his species' masters want to remain in the shadows. In some ways, the movie is a rejection of the old-school period pieces often associated with the vampire subgenre, albeit one that establishes an exciting universe boasting its own rules and hierarchies. "Blade" is a classic, and it'd be No. 1 on this list if it weren't for the next installment.

Guillermo del Toro is a master of monster movies, and "Blade II" established him as a Hollywood player after "Mimic" almost derailed his career in the United States. It was also a change of pace for the Mexican director at the time, as he was primarily known for arthouse chillers like "The Devil's Backbone" and the melancholic vampire drama "Cronos." "Blade II" showed that he could handle big-budget studio projects — but he didn't abandon his roots, as this sequel is pure nightmare fuel.

In this one, Blade must forge an uneasy alliance with a group of vampires to combat a nasty breed of bloodsucking fiends known as Reapers, who like feasting on humans and vampires alike. If Blade and his comrades don't find a solution to the problem, both species will become extinct. To make matters more complicated, Blade needs to keep an eye on his so-called allies — like Dieter Reinhart (Ron Perlman), a nasty piece of work with a personal grudge against the Daywalker.

While "Blade" can be interpreted as a rejection of the countless Gothic vampire movies out there, the sequel is loud and proud about rebelling against them. Del Toro went into "Blade II" hoping to make vampires scary again, as he was tired of seeing them portrayed in a romantic light. As a result, the Reapers are grotesque, animalistic predators who are impossible to reason with. "Blade II" contains everything that made the original great, but the Reapers are far more terrifying than Deacon Frost and his crew.