FRIGHT NIGHT REVIEW (with spoilers)
Because I can.
So synopsis: Remake of the 1985 original, Fright Night is the story of Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin), a former "nerd" who has just managed to fall in with a group of cool kids, namely Mark (Dave Franco) and get himself a girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots). In doing so, he's abandoned his former friend Edward "Evil Ed" Lee (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who is convinced that Charlie's next door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Colin Farrell) is a vampire. Turns out Ed is right, and by making Charlie aware of Jerry's true nature, he's made Charlie Jerry's next target. In order to protect himself, his mother (Toni Collette) and Amy, whom Jerry eventually kidnaps, Charlie enlists the help of alcoholic Las Vegas magician, Peter Vincent (David Tennant in leather pants) and goes toe to toe with Jerry in a fight that can only be described as hilariously epic.
Anyway, I really liked this movie. Not only because it was written by Buffy alum Marti Noxon (swoon), but because it's reminiscent of the way monster movies used to be. Likely because it's a remake, but WHATEVER. Colin Farrell's vampire is exactly what I hoped he would be - sexy, but not broody, evil enough to make you hate him but hunky enough for you to kind of like it. And his vampire face was pure fucking nightmare fuel. There was no "WAH, YOU REMIND ME OF MY LOST LOVE", which there was a bit of in the original, no lifetime of loneliness and brooding and angst. He just wanted to EAT PEOPLE and MAKE MORE VAMPIRES. And yes, he does totally hook up with Imogen Poots, but given the fact his character is a vampire and she's a high school kid, it had enough creepiness to keep it in the rapey spectrum as well as being kindofhotbecausecolinfarrellisgorgeous.
(Ow. Right in the feminism.)
ANYWAY. So the plot was...the plot from the old movie, so not much need to talk about it. the dialogue was for the most part superb, but I felt the writing focus leaned more towards the secondary characters (Jerry, Peter Vincent, and Charlie's Mom), likely because those actors could really bring the comic/scary thunder. Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots were blandly attractive and had a few funny lines to themselves, but for the most part were stock teenage hero and heroine.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse is in the movie for all of fifteen minutes and yet manages to be supremely awesome and hilarious. He'll be stuck playing McLovin' until he's thirty and dammit, I don't care. As Evil Ed he's almost angrily nerdy, abandoned by his former best friend Charlie and eventually turned into a vampire by Jerry.
And of course, David Tennant steals the entire show as the rakish, drunken douchebag of a magician, Peter Vincent who is clearly modeled after Criss Angel in the remake. His show is an opulent, obscene gothic mess and he rocks the whole thing in tight leather pants, a wavy wig, fake goatee and sideburns, and a plethora of false tattoos. He swears, drinks absinthe pretty much nonstop, smokes cloves and is nothing but the center of attention in every freaking scene. Not just because he ALSO happens to be gorgeous, but because he's utterly hilarious. His exchanges with his live-in girlfriend Ginger are hysterical.
Long story short, everyone should see this movie.
So synopsis: Remake of the 1985 original, Fright Night is the story of Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin), a former "nerd" who has just managed to fall in with a group of cool kids, namely Mark (Dave Franco) and get himself a girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots). In doing so, he's abandoned his former friend Edward "Evil Ed" Lee (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who is convinced that Charlie's next door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Colin Farrell) is a vampire. Turns out Ed is right, and by making Charlie aware of Jerry's true nature, he's made Charlie Jerry's next target. In order to protect himself, his mother (Toni Collette) and Amy, whom Jerry eventually kidnaps, Charlie enlists the help of alcoholic Las Vegas magician, Peter Vincent (David Tennant in leather pants) and goes toe to toe with Jerry in a fight that can only be described as hilariously epic.
Anyway, I really liked this movie. Not only because it was written by Buffy alum Marti Noxon (swoon), but because it's reminiscent of the way monster movies used to be. Likely because it's a remake, but WHATEVER. Colin Farrell's vampire is exactly what I hoped he would be - sexy, but not broody, evil enough to make you hate him but hunky enough for you to kind of like it. And his vampire face was pure fucking nightmare fuel. There was no "WAH, YOU REMIND ME OF MY LOST LOVE", which there was a bit of in the original, no lifetime of loneliness and brooding and angst. He just wanted to EAT PEOPLE and MAKE MORE VAMPIRES. And yes, he does totally hook up with Imogen Poots, but given the fact his character is a vampire and she's a high school kid, it had enough creepiness to keep it in the rapey spectrum as well as being kindofhotbecausecolinfarrellisgorgeous.
(Ow. Right in the feminism.)
ANYWAY. So the plot was...the plot from the old movie, so not much need to talk about it. the dialogue was for the most part superb, but I felt the writing focus leaned more towards the secondary characters (Jerry, Peter Vincent, and Charlie's Mom), likely because those actors could really bring the comic/scary thunder. Anton Yelchin and Imogen Poots were blandly attractive and had a few funny lines to themselves, but for the most part were stock teenage hero and heroine.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse is in the movie for all of fifteen minutes and yet manages to be supremely awesome and hilarious. He'll be stuck playing McLovin' until he's thirty and dammit, I don't care. As Evil Ed he's almost angrily nerdy, abandoned by his former best friend Charlie and eventually turned into a vampire by Jerry.
And of course, David Tennant steals the entire show as the rakish, drunken douchebag of a magician, Peter Vincent who is clearly modeled after Criss Angel in the remake. His show is an opulent, obscene gothic mess and he rocks the whole thing in tight leather pants, a wavy wig, fake goatee and sideburns, and a plethora of false tattoos. He swears, drinks absinthe pretty much nonstop, smokes cloves and is nothing but the center of attention in every freaking scene. Not just because he ALSO happens to be gorgeous, but because he's utterly hilarious. His exchanges with his live-in girlfriend Ginger are hysterical.
Long story short, everyone should see this movie.