You can tell a lot about a society by its comic-book heros. "Blade" is one of the darkest heros ever drawn, and the saving grace of the movie version is that it stays true to the spirit of its origins in terms of violence, dialogue and characterization.

Wesley Snipes plays the half-vampire title character, a driven, no-nonsense superhero on a mission. The movie is not about characterization, and an intense look, several heroic poses and his fearsome fighting ability are all it requires of Snipes.

Like the heroes in last year's comic book movie "Men in Black," he's privy to a grand conspiracy. Vampires, and those who work for them, are among us and beginning to pose a greater threat. Blade, with his vampire-like regenerative powers and unique ability to withstand daylight, is the only person who can stop them.

His mentor and physician, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), is an Obi-Wan Kenobi-type human character who has also devoted his life to slaying vampires. He keeps Blade's natural blood-thirst at bay with a garlic serum and gives the film one of its few glimpses of humanity. But he too is a comic book character and you can almost see the speech balloons forming overhead.

The same goes for Karen, (N'Buse Wright), a human hematologist. After being bitten — which should turn her into a vampire — and introduced to the vampire menace, she joins forces with Blade and Whistler. Using her scientific training, Karen develops greater anti-vampire devices and stronger serums. Thankfully, the movie doesn't insult its audience with weak attempts to give a past or social life to Karen. This is just a comic book.

Meanwhile, an anti-establishment upstart vampire named Frost (Stephen Dorff) threatens the conservative vampire community. Frost was bitten and "turned," rather than having been born a vampire, which gives him a disturbing inferiority complex to the pure-bloods who run things. With his hedonistic group of party-vampires, he sets out to take over the world. Frost's entourage includes a delightfully hedonistic sidekick named Quinn (Donal Logue), who gruesomely regenerates after being hacked and mangled.

As a superhero, Blade does not relent or disappoint. Throughout the film, he must painfully confront himself, his past, and the source of his power. He's a few notches darker than Batman, but still a good-guy.

Because it doesn't pretend to be more, "Blade" succeeds as an intensely thrilling comic-book story. Wonderfully paced action, dazzling camera work and awesome special effects — including buckets of blood — make "Blade" a thoroughly entertaining catharsis.

At Wednesday night's screening, the audience left the theater purged and satisfied . . . and they'd be foolish to expect anything deeper.

"Blade" is rated R for continuous violence, blood and gore, along with frequent profanity and vulgar language.