Parents' Guide to

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Ridiculous, bloody blending of history and violence.

Movie R 2012 105 minutes
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Hadi S.
Hadi S. Parent of 9, 11, 15 and 17-year-old
September 12, 2016
age 16+

Intriguing.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is an entertaining film that cleverly mixes Lincoln's presidency with a war against vampires. I think it's better for the older 15 year old range because of two scenes near the beginning depicting nudity. The first is a close - up shot of a dead, topless woman. It only lasts for about 4 seconds, and is in a non - sexual context, but it is still better for older teens. The second scene is in a more sexual context; there is a woman bouncing (clearly having sexual intercourse) on a man in a bathtub. This is very clearly shown. None of them are wearing clothes, however there is no nudity. There is some moaning and grunting coming from the two. As for the violence, it is quite graphic but unrealistic. Vampires get decapitated, slashed and ripped apart, all with very unrealistic effects. There is, however, a few very violent scenes that are definitely not okay for younger teens. One includes a man burning off the face of a vampire - the screaming is very loud and is very disturbing. Another is when a man slashes the throat of a vampire - its groans are very disturbing as blood floods down his throat.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
christian2011
christian2011 Adult
March 17, 2013
age 15+

A very disappointing movie remake of the original book. Don't bother.

This movie mainly focused on the violence, not the character's stories, the plot or setting - all about the vampire slaying. The acting was also bland and the characters didn't have depth, which made it boring all the way through. Abraham Lincoln and vampires ironically fighting each other just don't make a particularly good match, and the title would ward off movie goers anyway.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

As a boy, Abraham Lincoln helplessly witnesses his mother's death at the hands of a vampire. When he becomes a man (Benjamin Walker), Abe contemplates his revenge. Then stranger Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper) offers to teach him how to fight and kill the evil creatures. In Springfield, Abe does his hunting at night, in between studying the law, working at a general store, and courting Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He becomes interested in politics, which leads to his being elected president years later. But when vampires from the South begin to turn the Civil War into a bloody massacre, Abe must take up his old hunting ways once again.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (29):

Some of this film's action sequences are big and impressive, but without any emotional involvement, they're as dead as a coffin nail. Director Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Day Watch, Wanted) usually makes hyperkinetic movies that have a few explosive scenes but are ultimately empty. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER is doubly so, since it also squanders a great hero and a potentially pleasingly silly idea. The movie takes the idea of Abraham Lincoln fighting vampires seriously and also doesn't seem to wonder about ridiculous concepts such as Southern vampires supporting slavery.

After simply ignoring everything potentially funny and lively, Abraham Lincoln grinds down on its characters, turning them into empty vessels upon which to hang the action sequences. One shot of bearded, stovepipe-hatted Lincoln marching toward the camera in slow motion like a grindhouse hero shows just what Bekmambetov thinks of him.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter's violence. Is it scary? Does it create tension? How necessary is it to the story?

  • What historical liberties does the movie take? How creative do you think the storytellers were in taking real events and fitting them to the story? Which scenes were based on real events?

  • Is the movie's Lincoln a positive role model? What worthwhile qualities does he have? What less admirable qualities does the movie give him?

  • Is the movie silly or serious, or both? If you've read the book, how does the movie compare?

Movie Details

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