Spooky Season 2022: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Sure, the title of the film may sound utterly ridiculous and audiences won’t be blamed for expecting a schlocky Syfy channel esque B-movie that is not based on a true story by any means but rather offers more of an alternative retelling. However, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter offers thrilling and visually stylish action with a story that sadly feels a little uninteresting.

After losing his mother whilst a young boy, Abraham Lincoln (Walker) plots his revenge against Jack Barts (Martin Csokas), the man who took her life. However, upon confronting him, Lincoln learns that Barts is in fact a vampire and before Jack can get the upper hand on Lincoln, he is saved by a vampire hunter named Henry Sturges (Cooper) who recruits him to help rid America of vampires but that battle was far from over as far as they were concerned.

The best part of the film is undeniably its action. The action is spectacularly-stylized, making each moment fresh and so much fun and it is also well shot and brilliantly-choreographed. While the majority is CGI, it works. It is already nuts enough and the use of CGI over the course of the film’s more over-the-top sequences only adds to that. Outside of the action be it political side of Lincoln and his relationship with his wife Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) certainly leaves a lot to be desired, the film sadly falls very flat as its generic story can get quite boring. When Lincoln is battling vampires or other evil creatures, the film thrives and thankfully this is mostly the case.

Lincoln’s political journey is certainly not as well presented as a film such as Lincoln but Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter nonetheless still gets points for trying, even if may not be the most interesting aspect of the film. Meanwhile, the cast before they became famous are exceptional and were a huge delight to watch, featuring the likes of Winstead, Cooper, Mackie, and Jimmi Simpson along with Walker. 

This film is nothing short of bonkers but ultimately it’s Bekmambetov’s exceptionally unique style that make it so much more entertaining. In the end, it is those bonkers moments where the film truly shines. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is an absolute wild ride, filled with exhilarating action, bonkers style, and a phenomenal cast. That being said, its attempts to keep audiences interested are hit or miss but its exciting and visually-glorious action somewhat make up for it.

*still courtesy of 20th Century Studios*

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.