Iffy for 16+
Ridiculous, bloody blending of history and violence.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is based on a history-twisting novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Though it plays fast and loose with facts and has a silly premise, the movie has little humor: It's pure action/horror, with lots of revenge, blood, and fighting -- all in 3-D. A boy watches his mother die, a child dies, and women are killed. Vampires are shot through the eye and beheaded. There's a little sex (including one dead, topless girl on display) and some language, including one "f--k" and a couple uses of "son of a bitch." Young Abe is seen drinking heavily while pondering ways to avenge his mother, and another character drinks and takes a puff from a hookah pipe, which appears to be empty.
- Families can talk about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter's violence. Is it scary? Does it create tension? How necessary is it to the story?
- What historical liberties does the movie take? How creative do you think the storytellers were in taking real events and fitting them to the story? Which scenes were based on real events?
- Is the movie's Lincoln a positive role model? What worthwhile qualities does he have? What less admirable qualities does the movie give him?
- Is the movie silly or serious, or both? If you've read the book, how does the movie compare?
The good stuff
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Messages: Amid all the killing and blood, there's a small message about learning to trust others, as well as challenging issues of race during the slavery days.
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Role models: Obviously, the real Abraham Lincoln is a powerful role model, but the movie's version of Abe is a little different than the legend. Many of his good qualities are still there -- including his achievements as president, his desire to free the slaves, and his ability to see all people as equals ... except for vampires, whom he learns to dispatch with bloody violence. His motivation is revenge, and this vocation requires him to lie to his wife (so much for "honest Abe").
What to watch for
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Violence: Very strong fantasy/vampire violence, with fighting, shooting, slashing, stabbing, and lots of blood. A boy watches his mother die of a terrible vampire disease; years later, Abe and Mary Todd watch their son die of the same thing (viewers see bloody scabs on his arm). People instantaneously turn into vampires, growing several sharp teeth and lunging at the screen; it's a scary shock. A character is shot through the eye, and the camera follows the bullet. Vampires are beheaded. A vampire throws a live horse at Abe, and it crashes into him in a painful way. Vampires kill a woman in front of her boyfriend.
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Sex: A dead, topless girl is shown for a few seconds. A couple is interrupted while having sex in a tub. In one sequence, a customer tries to force himself upon a prostitute. Her top is a little loose as she safely runs away, but nothing sensitive is shown. Some kissing, with some sexual suggestion.
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Language: "F--k" is used once. Also "son of a bitch," "prick," "balls," "hell," "goddamn," and "whore."
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Young Abe drinks heavily at a bar in one scene. (A character says: "A man only drinks that much when he wants to kiss a girl or kill a man. Which is it?") Another major character drinks whiskey in his home and also takes a puff from a hookah pipe, which appears to be empty.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
I was really surprised that this movie was so good! by blaisewashere
See this movie! To be honest, I had low expectations for this movie. I figured it would just be a bunch of axe action scenes according to the trailer which I thought was a good enough reason to go. I went to the 2d midnight premiere just for fun. I was pleasantly surprised that this movie had good acting, good writing, and an engaging plot. There are twists that keep the story interesting and moving forward. Character development is great because it incorporates sections where he is a boy, a young man, and then the president showing his growth as a person and vampire hunter until the final climax. Furthermore, the action scenes were awesome! It uses a technique where the camera switches from slow mo to fast paced, similar to Sherlock Holmes. It works really well. It may sound like a dumb movie, but I think people should give it a try. I was very happy I went to see it.
4
Totally opposite of what I expected... by MovieMaestro
I went to see this based soley on the recommendations of the Fan Reviews here on Fandango and I must say you guys were on the money. I enjoyed this tremendously. I thought the movie well acted, good plot and lots of action. The quality of this movie was completely downplayed by the title and the trailers. If you like movies about Vampires then you will love this or at least be able to appreciate it. I would NOT recommend this for anyone younger than a teenager. Small children should stay away because these vamps will give you nightmares. Seriously!
5
Abe kicks axe! by ChrysC
This was a fantastic surprise. I had no real expectations going in and had my socks knocked off. The reaction was like seeing Matrix the first time where you didn't know what to expect. The action scenes were incredible, the plot was good, acting was excellent and all in all this is perhaps my favorite movie of the year. To put this into context, I thought Avengers was the best movie of the year to date but now I give the nod to Vampire Hunter. Yes, it was that good.
5
sooooo different by sharons37
Really cool the way that his history was merged in with his hunter personality. Highly recommend. Took my Grandchildren ages 10 and 11, no nightmares, they loved it.
5
Great time at the theater.. by WTFCinema
I liked the book, and yes... It's very different from the book... I enjoyed this movie... Highly recommend... If only Abe took his axe skills out on that retarded Cullen family from Twilight, lol
4
Very different to the book by rmthull
I read the book a while back and was interested to see how it would translate to film. Although the basic story premise is there, the movie misses a great deal and it surprised me to see the author was heavily involved in the movie.
The book is more about making a very believable case of blending historical fact with fiction, and it does this very well. The movie is much more focused on vampire slaying, and as such it's a good bit of fun. Its action is very much along the lines of the new Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jnr.
My other half came with me to see the movie, and she is half way through the book. As soon as we left I told her that the movie does not spoil the ending of the book and she should still continue it.
It's a fun movie to watch, but the book as ever, is ten times as good.
4
Very Impressed by RimRockUtah
It must of took an excellent writer, directory and producer to create something so strange but so intertaining.I've watched "regular" belivable shows lately that had me less entertained.
4
SURPRISINGLY GOOD! by Cmsc2000
Let's get real, i had my doubts bout Lincoln and vampires...but from start to finish it was surprisingly good! Go see it if you're into vampire movies
5
Lincoln by Krin91
Loved the action scenes and the incorporation of different history aspects, even if they are not all exactly true. If there had not been as much "gore" then it would have been for kids of all ages, its just a little scary when the vamps jump out at the main characters.
5
So Much Fun! by dbcall
This movie is a lot better then ?certain? critics are suggestion - what did people expect? Its fun and its very creative - the horse stampede was amazing. Its so much fun to see this character (Abe) reinvented in this way - I don?t think ?the southern holdbacks? will like the suggestion they were all blood suckers but, it works and maybe it?s a little more revealing then what ?certain? critics are ready to admit. On that one level, it?s a critic of America?s roots (ha ha) but, on many other levels, its just good fun - this is a movie I?ll most likely purchase as a DVD - frankly, I think I enjoyed it more the The Avengers - and I really liked The Avengers. GO