Perfect Creature

This one has been in the can since 2005 but don’t let that (or the ugly cover art) deter you. It’s set in one of those alternate universes where vampires are genetic anomalies and they’re the good guys! Sorta. Vamps are part of a religious order, the Brotherhood, who’ve been watching over man for the last 300 years. It’s all good until a Brother’s experiments to increase the Brotherhood’s dwindling numbers goes awry. He creates a virus that turns vamps and humans into murderous monsters. Throw in some forbidden lust between a Brother and a female cop, genetic experimentation, church cover-ups and you’ve got a pretty cool ride.
You could almost describe “Perfect Creature” as “Ultraviolet” with a brain. It also evokes comparisons to Kurt Wimmer’s first film, “Equilibrium”. Set in an “alternate” New Zealand and with just a 20 million budget, it’s not as slick as some recent films. Not a ton of action either. If I were a suit at the Sci-fi Channel, I’d be trying to develop this into a tv series; rather than trying to push FLASH! ARGGGGHH -- save us from the crappiness -- Gordon. It’s sci-fi but not enough to scare off the casual viewers they covet. There are some good ideas presented but the short running time (88 minutes) works against them. Still, it’s worth checking out if your a fan of the genre.