Film Review: Queen of the Damned (2002)

The author of this review is accustomed to holding minority opinions, including the assessment of the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire. Knowing that sequels often struggle to match the quality of their predecessors, I approached the Queen of the Damned, 2002 horror film directed by Michael Rymar, with trepidation. Uunfortunately, my fears were justified by the disappointing outcome of this film.

The film is based on Anne Rice's 1988 novel of the same name, the third installment in her Vampire Chronicle series. While the second part of the series, the 1985 novel The Vampire Lestat, was originally intended as the source material, only fragments of it were used in the script for the film. The plot follows the story of the vampire Lestat (played by Stuart Townsend), who has decided to retire from the world and go to sleep only to be accidentally awaken by a practising rock band. Apparently amused and fascinated with the new kind of music, he decides to become its lead singer and gradually transforms into genuine rock star, discovering rebellious nature and even going as far to announce existence of vampires to the world and taunting other vampires to silence him. He also brings attention of paranormal researcher Jesse Reeves (played by Marguerite Moreau). This coincides with his actions awakening Akasha (played by Aaliyah), ancient Egyptian queen and the first vampire, who wants Lestat to join her when she attempts to conquer the world.

Despite the success of Interview with the Vampire, the production of its sequel faced numerous challenges. With the film rights set to expire in 2000 and the pressure to avoid upsetting Anne Rice, the production was rushed. Tom Cruise declined to reprise his role as Lestat, leading to his replacement by Stuart Townsend. Tragedy struck the production with the untimely death of R&B singer Aaliyah before post-production.

To their credit, the producers attempted to infuse the new film with a different approach. Stuart Townsend portrayed Lestat in a more rebellious and outrageous manner, akin to a rock star. The soundtrack featured goth metal music, and the film's visual style resembled a lengthy MTV music video.

However, the focus on style and visuals did little to compensate for the film's messy and poorly conceived script. The attempt to condense Anne Rice's intricate fictional world into a simplified yet convoluted plot resulted in the need for frequent and often annoying voice-overs to explain the narrative to the audience. Aaliyah's portrayal of the title character is limited, with her appearance coming late in the film and reduced to a glorified cameo.

Despite Townsend's efforts, his portrayal of Lestat comes across as grating, while Aaliyah is primarily remembered for her exotic makeup and revealing costumes rather than her acting ability. The supporting cast, which includes esteemed European actors like Vincent Perez and Lena Olin, fails to leave a lasting impression.

Queen of the Damned proved to be a box office disappointment and was met with critical disdain, a fate that, in this case, was warranted. Unlike its female star, the film failed to captivate audiences and critics alike, falling short of expectations and failing to live up to the legacy of its predecessor.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

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