History buffs, as well as vampire lovers should be very excited to watch, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The thriller/action movie combined the two elements brilliantly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a hit; earning a 35% out of 100% from Rotten Tomatoes. However the movie was poorly judged and deserved much more praise.

The rated R movie was released in theatres June 18th of 2012. It was 105 minutes long and incorporated historical events with a twist so we didn’t fall asleep, the combination of fictional elements like vampires and historical events like Lincoln on his journey to presidency is widely enjoyable.

The film starts off with Lincoln as a young boy, his family is working as indentured servants as well as other slaves.  The scene takes place on a shipping dock, J Bart’s Shipping. A brawl unravels and we see young Lincoln trying to defend his friend Will, who is a slave, his father rushing to protect him form his ‘foolish mistake’.

This scene was vital to the plot of the film; it foreshadows Abraham’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 which the film has to include seeing as that was his major achievement. The movie offers a distorted version of Abraham Lincoln in which he is a Vampire Hunter. However it most incorporate true events seeing as the vampire battle happened behind the scenes and it is now being told. This scene definitely offers a false reasoning as to why Abraham Lincoln the our future president was so deliberate on freeing the slaves. So must give Seth Grahame-Smith; writer on the script praise for incorporate that in his work.

How ever in result of young Lincoln sticking up for his friend, his mother is killed. Lincoln at first is unaware of how but he does know that the owner of the shipping doc Jack Bart is responsible. We find out later that Jack Bart is the vampire.

After the death of his mother his father makes him promise to not do anything foolish so he controls his obvious curiosity and yearning to help others but after his father passes away 9 years later he writes “I am no longer bond to my promise,” fortunately for us he keeps a record of his recollections in a journal, and we see in the first minutes of the film. No longer bond by his promise to his father he attempt to murder Mr. Bart, drunk, and with a gun. Vampires can not be killed by guns,  so as he walks to his death drunk how fortune of him to be in the company of a vampire hunter that night at the bar.

The following morning Lincoln wakes up with bruises and hurt from his attempt to kill what can not be killed but he clearly has been taken cared of. Here is when he learns about Vampires; Henry Sturgess his savor will become his mentor and friend.  Lincoln now dead set on revenge will become a vampire hunter, under Henry’s command. Agreeing to give up love, all prospects of a family, to go where he needs to go and most of all to kill only what he is told to kill.

Lincoln’s weapon of choice becomes an axe with a silver blade. His first mission is to go to this small town; Springfield.

His instructions are to blend in, here is where he chooses to study law. His orders were specific; no attachments, no distractions, no friends, or family. But when his first letter arrives with orders to kill a pharmacist aka undercover vampire he is already crushing on Mary Todd, a very engaged young women.

It is also in this town where he is reunited with his old friend Will; the one from the beginning, and he begins to find a way with words and a passion for slave’s rights.

Balancing romance, friendship, a fake identity, and a vampire hunting night job seems to fit Benjamin Walker well become he plays the part too well. There was a never a dull moment.

There were parts where I laughed and there is even sweet romantic scenes. The secret vampire hunter aspect gives the movie a dramatic appeal; I mean who doesn’t want a romantic gentleman who is also a hunky good-doer. Benjamin Walker the actor who plays Lincoln definitely fits the role, he balances the different dynamics perfectly, when Lincoln and Mary court you can feel the forebode connection. When he is off fighting vampires in the dead of night you might find yourself cringing and routing for him. Sometimes when he is clumsy and spoke oddly trying to conceal his true motives you chuckle a little. Not to mention the budding bromance between him and Henry, the number one of advocate for having no friends,  seeing that unravel was very sweet as well.

My only complaint would be that the movie does over exaggerate his strength. It’s man versus vampire; who can disappear, are fast, and have claws and sharp teeth, yet he always seems to triumph. Then again that sort of has to happen since he becomes the president.

It is in Springfield where is assigned to go to where the more historical Lincoln begins to arise. We see him fighting for slavery rights, studying to become a lawyer and get into politics.