In his commentary on the new “Blade II” DVD, director Guillermo del Toro keeps mentioning his efforts to make “Blade II” feel more like a comic book than just a standard action movie. It’s because of these efforts that “Blade II” is not only superior to the original, but an excellent action and comic book movie as well.

“Blade II” picks up after the first with Blade seeking out the vampires who have killed his mentor Whistler. What he eventually finds, though, is the vampire nation seeking his help to stop a newly evolved threat, the Reapers. Blade then joins forces with a group known as the Bloodpack, the “special forces” of the vampire world, to stop this threat.

Not only does the story itself feel much like a comic book plot, but the world that del Toro has created with writer David S. Goyer is much darker and mysterious, making it feel more like it was ripped from the pages of one of Marvel Comics’ issues.

The filmmakers’ efforts do not stop there, though, as “Blade II” is full of action, with each new sequence taking on its own style and flow. The Reapers come off as scary and dangerous and really add a punch to the world, and the plot has some nice twists and turns, keeping it enjoyable beyond just fight scenes.

With the DVD, New Line has brought this well-constructed comic flick home in absolutely pristine condition. The video transfer is practically flawless, and despite the dark setting of the film, really shows off a lot of detail, with the only flaws being in the filming or CGI effects themselves. The sound does the same thing, as the sound effects and music combine well and offer a great surround mix.

Even the extras presented on this two-disc set are entertaining and well worth the time. The first are two full commentaries, one from del Toro and producer Peter Frankfurt, the other from Goyer and Blade himself, Wesley Snipes. Both commentaries are entertaining, as they have a lot of humor and fun, as well as plenty of information about the film and its production.

The discs have plenty of standard extras like art galleries, production notes and other less exciting bits as well, but there are also a couple standout features. One is the section of deleted scenes with optional commentary. The other is a lengthy (83-minute) documentary on the making of “Blade II,” offering glimpses into every aspect of the film and containing many on-set interviews with the actors. The documentary even has extras within it.

Even while other comic book movies such as “Spider-Man” are taking much of the spotlight, it’s nice to have something like “Blade II” come out and offer such an enjoyable time, as well as an excellent DVD. Not only do you get a well-constructed comic world, but a movie that feels like a comic in that you can sit back and enjoy it time and again.