Good story, bad plot

Rating: 6/10 (9 February 2008)

There is much to like about David Slade's 30 Days of Night: a fairly clever horror concept (based on a graphic novel), compelling atmosphere, creepy villains. Unfortunately, a few flaws prevent this from becoming a cult classic.
The premise is nifty: vampires attack an isolated town in Alaska at the beginning of its month-long period of darkness. A few survivors, including Sheriff Eben (a solid Josh Hartnett) and his ex-wife Stella (lovely Melissa George), try to survive until the sunrise.
Character development is weak. Apart for Eben and Stella, survivors are nondescript, so it's difficult to care about them. It's a pity some interesting individuals, like Foster's Renfield-like stranger or Boone's mountain man, are not given more to do.
Plot developments feel jarring and arbitrary. Survivors sneak around whispering, constantly hiding from the supposedly looming threat of the monsters; sometimes, when a character takes as much as one step outside, he is doomed... then we repeatedly see scenes of Eben & Co. walking down the streets to gather supplies, change hiding place, and nothing happens. It creates a weird disconnect.
At least these vampires are effective villains: nasty, beast-like, with razor-sharp teeth and claws, a sinister guttural language. Danny Huston gives a surprisingly creepy performance as their leader.
6,5/10