The Priest (Tim Thomerson, "Dollman") has made it his life's goal to hunt down and kill every last vampire, not fearing a life of sin in exchange for the destruction of pure, living evil ("ago malum" in Latin). But the vampires have to live, too, and things aren't so easy for them.
The horror genre tends to get very repetitive and dry. Year after year we get new zombie and vampire flicks, and as much as I love zombies and vampires, most of these films simply are not necessary. This does not, however, apply to "Live Evil". Presented here is a new twist that I have not previously encountered.
On some level, there's some recognizable themes here... a man on a quest to hunt down bloodsuckers. The idea that vampires shrivel up and starve if not fed (though, they seem to die faster here than, say, Lestat in "Interview with the Vampire"). There's some discussion of the effects of sunlight. So, traditional vampire fans are going to relate to this film on that level.
But there's also an interesting environmental message. The vampires have difficulty devouring human blood if it contains disease or drugs. At one point, a female vampire makes the parallel that mankind had polluted the air and water and have now turned to their own blood. There is something true in this. While we don't want our blood devoured by vampires, there is something to be said about purity. Though, if dirty blood offers protection, what does dirty air and water provide? It's an interesting question.
Beyond Thomerson, horror fans will love the cast. Ken Foree is Max, a powerful vampire, and Tiffany Shepis is Spider, a vampire groupie (whose role is sadly much too small). And the blood. Oh my! Heads chopped in half, blood spraying from necks, vampires vomiting bad blood... This film has its flaws (the female lead isn't a great actress, for example) but will capture your imagination.
I recommend this film to all vampire and/or horror fans. It's a great antidote to the clean, fluffy image of "Twilight"... let's keep horror and bloodsucking gritty. "Live Evil" succeeds at this.
