Blood: The Last Vampire (1 1/2 Star)

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Even when one adjusts expectations for an English-language adaptation of an anime adaptation of a manga, shot as a Michael Bay knockoff by a French video director, the often unwatchably dim "Blood: The Last Vampire" doesn't convey much of anything.

That's "dim" in many senses.

The supposed plot involves a beautiful half-human, half-vampire government agent hunting demons in Japan with her American schoolgirl sidekick during the Vietnam War. If you're going "huh?" already, just wait.

Vampires and demons hang out in sunlight and have no specified powers or limitations. There are long, imponderably shot, sped-up and edited martial-arts fights, some with a gorgeous gal in a sailor dress swinging a samurai sword at hordes of stunt performers.

The dialogue is of the "Everything according to plan?" and "The Council must remain anonymous" ilk. The sidekick is superfluous and largely reduced to screaming and whimpering throughout.

Director Chris Nahon ("Kiss of the Dragon") jumbles the usual batch of silly macho stereotypes (sunglasses at night, you know the type) and stock sequences with a visual palette ranging from barely visible black to impenetrable black. The exercise filches shamelessly from "300," "Star Wars," "The Matrix" and countless kung-fu movies.

"Blood's" only surprise is that the filmmakers landed Gianna (also known as Jeon Ji-hyun) for the lead.

The South Korean megastar, a compelling screen presence, proves a more-than-capable action heroine, despite the creative detritus around which she has to navigate.

Blood: The Last Vampire MPAA rating: R (for strong bloody stylized violence).

Running time: 1:31.

Starring: Gianna (Saya); Allison Miller (Alice McKee); Liam Cunningham (Michael); JJ Feild (Luke).

Directed by Chris Nahon; written by Chris Chow;

Produced by Bill Kong and Abel Nahmias.

A Samuel Goldwyn Films release.

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Blood: The Last Vampire Movie Review - Gianna & Allison Miller

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