Losing Their Heads

Rating: 7/10 (24 October 2007)

As you have probably guessed, "30 Days of Night" is a vampire movie - which means it has elements of both terror and self-parody. It is very likely the year's best horror movie, coming from "Hard Candy" director David Slade. Nasty vampires methodically assault an isolated Alaskan town and theatre viewers rarely will find a moment to relax. Much like "Night of the Living Dead" and "Phantoms" there is a rapidly diminishing chance of survival in this world of perpetual darkness.
Although vampire conventions are followed, Dracula-type wooden stakes and silver bullets are conspicuously absent. The film's gory visuals are not for the squeamish which is exactly what vampire movie buffs and fans of the original graphic novels will get off on. "30 Days of Night" captures the coolest parts of Steve Niles' graphic novel series on the big screen. Like the books it is filled with buckets of gore but manages to include a certain intelligence that fans of "28 Days Later" and John Carpenter's better movies are searching for but can rarely find. While some horror genre purists will be turned off by all the talking, there is very little actual character development and enough action and suspense for most everyone.
There is even a geography lesson as we learn that Barrow, Alaska is the northernmost city in America, and even more isolated and alien during its annual 30 days of continuous darkness. During this period the vampires (who apparently have just discovered this vampire paradise) suck the blood of most everyone in the town. The exception being a small group led by Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) and his ex-wife Stella (Melissa George), who must wait out the horrifying 30 days of night. The pairing of Hartnett (who has no discernible acting skills) with George (who is quite talented) could have been a disaster, fortunately neither part is particularly challenging so the skill disparity is not too obvious. And who watches these things for the acting anyway. Also fortunate is the casting of Danny Huston as the vampire leader, he sells his character (i.e. monster).
Much like "Day of the Dead" and "Jumanji" the band of survivors do things to which the average viewer can relate. They raid a supermarket and hide in an attic. It's best to stay vague with even the setup for this movie because it takes so many turns, at first seeming to be one kind of horror film before events move the characters in other directions. The surviving neighbors fight back with some degree of success. Watch for the town outcast who uses "bulldozers for bazookas", in the style of Sigourney Weaver operating that forklift robot thing in "Aliens". . Screenwriters Steve Niles, Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson craft characters that don't make stupid decisions and a plot that doesn't turn on unrealistic coincidences. Those who didn't read the graphic novels might find some of the intricate plot turns a bit too cerebral for a mindless night out at the movies and detailed explanations are hard to find. But at least the filmmakers aren't trying to insult your intelligence.
It is nice to find a vampire film that is uncompromising in its violence and yet extremely subtle about its moments of self-parody (insert the Hartnell acting for a few laugh-out-loud moments late in the film). It's even nicer to find some effort put into realistic action sequences, not the fake fast cut nonsense that lesser directors use to mask their inability to shoot action scenes.
Adding to the terror is having the vampires converse in a demonic language of their own (subtitles are thankfully provided). The vampires move at lightning speed but have little going for themselves in style or culture (there is no "Underworld" sophistication here). There are be-headings, animal violence, the slaughter of children, and a "Gremlins" inspired use of a snow plow. Get it on guys.
Overall the film is well made, nicely filmed, and competently acted (even with the sometimes painful Hartnett factor). Obviously this sort of thing is not everyone's cup of tea but is great Halloween fare for those who get off on this kind of stuff.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.