30 Days of Night (Film Review)
30 days of no sunlight, hundreds of human beings pumping warm blood around their bodies’ in an isolated Alaskan town - sounds like the perfect place to indulge in a quick bite (or two) if you’re a vampire. 30 days of Night is the horror flick to feast on this Halloween. Adapted from the graphic novel written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Ben Templesmith, British director David Slade brings this motion picture to life. Slade is best known as a Hollywood personality for the memorable thriller ‘Hard Candy’.
After the sun sets for the last time in 30 days the vampire’s ruled by blood-sucker Marlow (Dan Huston) and his deathly pale leading lady Iris (Megan Franich) invade Barrow, Alaska. They communicate with each other in an unintelligible serious of mumbles (which is apparently an ancient language) that is thankfully supported by subtitles. When they’re not mumbling they’re howling an earth shattering cry and baring their thin blood-splattered yellow teeth to all. At first this terrifying call creates a feeling of fear but after a while it only serves to irritate your ear drums and make you wish the villagers would drive a stake through the heart of their demon impostors sooner rather than later.
Facing off against the much needed villain and his posse is the inevitable town hero Sheriff Eben Olsen played by Josh Hartnett, who pulls off a surprisingly decent performance despite his characters lack of depth. The only back story accompanying Eben is his problems with his estranged wife Stella (Melissa George), who unfortunately was stranded in the snow after missing her flight out of town. The two are unsurprisingly forced to get a long as they attempt to keep a group of villagers alive until the sun comes up. Their story is a cliché and only serves to add to their disappointing characters.
Slade is careful at first not to disclose his vampires and leaves bloodthirsty deaths to the imagination invoking a sense of excitement for the oncoming horror. However Slade gets carried away and breaks this mould far too early and soon we are exposed to the monstrosity of the vamps full existence. From this moment on the film turns out to be an orgy of gore and its one blood bath after the next. What was promised of the traditional vampire who enjoyed the game of seducing their victim is diminished in favour of a thoughtless creature who ruthlessly rushes forward in the quest to slaughter their victim, desperate to taste the warmth of blood (and unwillingly to ever consider washing their blood stained clothes or face).
It is during the harrowing massacre that breaks onto the screen that it becomes clear the attractive story promised at the opening of the movie has disappeared. Instead the film now relies on teasing it’s viewers with a visual feast of macabre imagery and daring them to look away. 30 days of Night is now only acceptable for Halloween and the horror-buff but lacks anything to entice any real viewer appreciation.
At times the film is saved by some clever and creative camera work which creates scenes that will make your blood run cold especially when associated with the chilling score. This movie ‘does what it says on the tin’ it’s a typical horror film, ruled by images of brutality and moments that will make you jump out of your skin but lacking in characterization and plot. It is entertainment, but for most people it will be a one time watch or a throw away DVD.
After the sun sets for the last time in 30 days the vampire’s ruled by blood-sucker Marlow (Dan Huston) and his deathly pale leading lady Iris (Megan Franich) invade Barrow, Alaska. They communicate with each other in an unintelligible serious of mumbles (which is apparently an ancient language) that is thankfully supported by subtitles. When they’re not mumbling they’re howling an earth shattering cry and baring their thin blood-splattered yellow teeth to all. At first this terrifying call creates a feeling of fear but after a while it only serves to irritate your ear drums and make you wish the villagers would drive a stake through the heart of their demon impostors sooner rather than later.
Facing off against the much needed villain and his posse is the inevitable town hero Sheriff Eben Olsen played by Josh Hartnett, who pulls off a surprisingly decent performance despite his characters lack of depth. The only back story accompanying Eben is his problems with his estranged wife Stella (Melissa George), who unfortunately was stranded in the snow after missing her flight out of town. The two are unsurprisingly forced to get a long as they attempt to keep a group of villagers alive until the sun comes up. Their story is a cliché and only serves to add to their disappointing characters.
Slade is careful at first not to disclose his vampires and leaves bloodthirsty deaths to the imagination invoking a sense of excitement for the oncoming horror. However Slade gets carried away and breaks this mould far too early and soon we are exposed to the monstrosity of the vamps full existence. From this moment on the film turns out to be an orgy of gore and its one blood bath after the next. What was promised of the traditional vampire who enjoyed the game of seducing their victim is diminished in favour of a thoughtless creature who ruthlessly rushes forward in the quest to slaughter their victim, desperate to taste the warmth of blood (and unwillingly to ever consider washing their blood stained clothes or face).
It is during the harrowing massacre that breaks onto the screen that it becomes clear the attractive story promised at the opening of the movie has disappeared. Instead the film now relies on teasing it’s viewers with a visual feast of macabre imagery and daring them to look away. 30 days of Night is now only acceptable for Halloween and the horror-buff but lacks anything to entice any real viewer appreciation.
At times the film is saved by some clever and creative camera work which creates scenes that will make your blood run cold especially when associated with the chilling score. This movie ‘does what it says on the tin’ it’s a typical horror film, ruled by images of brutality and moments that will make you jump out of your skin but lacking in characterization and plot. It is entertainment, but for most people it will be a one time watch or a throw away DVD.