Hoo boy, I’ve seen some outrageous trailers and heard of outlandish premises but Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter sets the bar for the bizarre. Based on the mashup novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, it’s produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmambetov (director of the kinetic Wanted, a pretty decent adaptation of the comic book mini-series). I’ll be frank and admit I haven’t read the book so I don’t know if it’s a comedy, I hear it isn’t. But this trailer had me peeing in my pants! This was one big WTF!

For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet (just click on the link and have a look) it shows actor Benjamin Walker made up as our 16th president doing his usual statesman-like schtick of standing tall and giving speeches. Intermixed are the typical Civil War scenes. But also tossed into the mix are these dark Gothic scenes and slow-motion action shots of vampires and Lincoln doing Matrix-like acrobatics as the Johnny Cash classic “When The Man Comes Around ” plays on the soundtrack. My favorite shots are of President Lincoln swinging that mighty axe and laying waste to the creatures of the night.

Take that Buffy!

When I first heard of the film and book, I didn’t think much. Actually both sounded kind of stupid, with the film sounding like that awful thankfully forgotten flick Young Einstein. But after seeing this trailer, it’s now a must-see summer film. It may wind up being a stinker, but it’s not likely to be forgotten! (Now if only we can sic Old Abe on those Twilight losers. :D)

Waldermann Rivera