While this may not quite be a stake through the heart, Wes Craven's curious mix of the comic and the horrific is another nail in Eddie Murphy's career coffin. Here he opts to play it relatively straight as Maximillian, the Nosferatu-about-town arrived in the Big Apple and eager to put the bite on Rita (Bassett) a tough New York detective whom Max believes is destined to be his partner in all things nocturnal.
He's assisted in this by the comedy ghoul Julius (a bumbling Kadeem Hardison); in Rita's corner is her partner, the appropriately named Justice (Payne), convinced that this dashing young member of the "undead" is not the catch he appears to be.
Given that Murphy's name appears on the opening credits at least five times, it's obvious that he is sincere in his desire to make a horror movie. And to his credit he's sought out one of the best in the business to help him. Craven (The Hills Have Eyes, A Nightmare On Elm Street) knows a thing or two about scaring audiences - but here he also has to make them laugh and it's not always a comfortable combination.
Murphy plays it well throughout, effortlessly aping Gary Oldman's Euro-charm as the bloodsucker with panache. He's well matched by Bassett, who manages to imbue her character with a strength only ever hinted at in the script. As a straightforward almost-Gothic romance, this isn't at all bad - there are some decent chills and some inventively nasty moments. Where the film falls down ironically is on the comedy side. There is something to be said about making an Eddie Murphy movie and giving all the gags to someone else - it's wrong.