Not great, does nothing really new, but really, not actually bad either

Rating: 6/10 (19 October 2007)

So, I got a free preview pass for this thing. So even if it was horrible, at least I wasn't out 50 bucks, which is how much I think movie tickets are these days. But I digress.
One note on my theater: the sound system was WAAAAY too loud, like, hurt-your-ears, rock concert loud, and actually distracted from the movie. I was not the only one there who felt this way. But once again I digress; I just mention this because this fact, which was not the movie's fault, might have affected my enjoyment a tad.
Anyway, here's the good:
* Josh Hartnet as Eben
* Supporting cast, mostly. Eben's brother, decent actor; Eben's wife is hot; the Grizzly Bear Smith character (not sure the character's name but you'll know who I mean) was pretty good. Overall, acting was acceptably good.
* Special effects, especially the gore, were all pretty good. The gore was very realistic. Too realistic? Maybe. But it *is* a horror flick
* Concept, vampires in an endless night, was new. I think? I haven't seen quite exactly that setup in a vampire flick before. Kudos.
* Production, delivery, filming, all decent to good
And the bad
* It really didn't do anything new as far as horror movies go. As in, there were plenty of horror movie clichés.
* It didn't do anything new as far as vampire movies go. Standard vampire clichés as well.
* Quite a few typical Hollywood holes. Such as, why can't planes come in when it is dark? I mean, 30 days of dark does not have to mean 30 days of no plane flights, does it? I've flown at night, people! And, dark all the time in winter in Alaska means IT'S FORTY BELOW ZERO ALL THE FRICKIN' TIME! Put a hat on! But no, we are actors, we can be in the cold with minimal cold weather gear. And, so, they are hiding in an attic, WITH WINDOWS, and although, yes, there is a covering over the window, please, people, turn out your light!
I dunno, it's little things like closing up these holes that make an unbelievable scenario -- and vampires is pretty much always always an unbelievable scenario -- believable. Make the tiny things realistic and believable and it is easier to believe the outlandish stuff.
But overall, an alright movie. Probably scarier in the theater, but probably more worth the expense of renting on DVD.