COLUMBIA TRISTAR's "THE BREED" is a surprisingly entertaining, albeit, severely flawed vampire thriller.  Bookeem Woodbine and Adrian Paul are two FBI agents after a really bad vampire.  It takes one to know one, and Paul is a vampire as well, but a good one.  The standard "Lethal Weapon" type of mismatched cops working together is complicated even more when Woodbine falls in love with the beautiful Bai Ling, who's,...you guessed it, a vampire!

While the film is certainly trying to emulate the style and grittiness of "BLADE", it's still hampered by a modest budget, further limiting the special effects.  The production design is pretty impressive however, and there's a unique atmosphere throughout most of the film.

The action sequences are well staged and keep move the film moving at a steady pace.  However, there are enough moments when the film slows down that the belabored dialogue really takes its toll.
 

COLUMBIA TRISTAR has presented the film with its proper 1.85:1 aspect ratio and 16:9 enhancement.  The image is sharp, with solid colors and great depth.  There is no grain present, and fleshtones appear natural throughout.  The contrast is impressive with deep blacks and grays, even in the most difficult of lighting conditions.

The film's Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is pretty aggressive, with directional effects throughout most of the film as well as surround speaker moments during most fight sequences.  Dialogue is well focused towards the center channel and free from distortion.
 

The director and Adrian Paul provide an audio commentary that's also a nice surprise.  This is really a commentary to recommend for all aspiring filmmakers. While the film wasn't big by any standards, the two give a lot of insight into the realities of film production.

Various trailers are also offered.