Blade: House of Chthon is the ghoulishly scary, feature-length premiere of cable channel Spike TV’s Blade: The Series. Based on the vampire-slaying, Marvel Comics hero originally played by Wesley Snipes in a theatrical film trilogy. Blade the Series stars Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones as the sword-wielding hero who keeps his own bloodsucking tendencies in check through daily injections of a special serum. Blade: House of Chthon finds Blade trying to penetrate the nefarious plans of one Marcus Van Sciver (Neil Jackson), a wealthy and influential vampire developing a vaccine that will make his kind indestructible. Complicating matters is the arrival of Krista Starr (Jill Wagner), twin sister of a would-be vampire murdered by Marcus. Blade is forced to accommodate her need for revenge, until Marcus drags her into his own monstrous world. The action is gory but softer and clumsier than the feature films--everything looks a little rushed, as action shows often do on television. Jones is an acceptable replacement for Snipes, but it helps to have colorful performances by Jackson and Jessica Gower as Marcus’ right-hand vampira. --Tom Keogh