Loose sequel to 1994's Interview With The Vampire has Stuart Townsend taking over the role of Lestat from Tom Cruise for this modern day "hip" telling of a vampire story as Lestat wakes from years of slumber only to become an international rock music sensation after joining a band and cranking out all sorts of gothic tunes (all of them written by Jonathan Davis of the group Korn).

So while Lestat lives out his rock dream (and we shake our head at how goddamn dopey the whole premise is) a gaggle of vampires are plotting to kill him during a huge concert event because he's exposed vampires to the general public, a mortal library researcher (Marguerite Moreau) attempts to get with Lestat (and gives the movie a weak "love interest") and the recently resurrected "Queen Of The Damned" (played by late singer Aaliyah; who's barely in it despite being second billed) wants him to be her "king".

Filled with MTV-style direction, many attempts to make a "alternative" vision of a vampire movie and lots of dopey narration and at times muddled plotting; this is one awful movie. Townsend is no Tom Cruise, the special effects (which generally has the vampire attacks being annoyingly blurry - something I suspect was inspired by The Matrix) are weak with too much CGI work and the whole movie just stinks.

And you just have to groan very loudly during the terrible "concert attack" scene (and laugh extremely hard at the lame-o "mic stand staking" moment). And to think novelist Anne Rice (who's "Vampire Chronicles" this is based on) protested the first movie. (Chris Hartley)

Directed By: Michael Rymer.
Written By: Scott Abbott, Michael Petroni.

Starring: Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah, Marguerite Moreau, Paul McGann.