Very good

Rating: 9/10 (16 November 2008)

30 Days of Night returns something to the screen that we haven't seen enough of in more recent vampire films - old world type vampires. I enjoy just about any decently made movie in the genre, but it seems that too many vampire movies nowadays contain the "Neo-Vamps". That is, vampires who are well cultured, well manicured, and even perhaps suffer from too much conscience. They all know martial arts, dance to techno, and are invariably clad in S&M leather and/or trenchcoats (not that I'd mind a visit from Kate Beckinsale...thank you very much). But vampires nowadays are more like the Immortals from Highlander - only with fangs.
30 Days throws a dozen or so old-world, savage vampires into a small Alaskan town in the one month during the year that they have no sun. It's an excellent premise, and the movie does not fail to take advantage of it. The cast is very good, the sets are excellent, and the gore is just right. Also worth a mention is the cinematography - specifically the overhead shot of the town's streets during the full siege of the creatures.
I don't dislike Underworld or the "Buffyverse" as some of the purists out there do, but there's much to be said about the sideways evolution of recent vampire films/shows. 30 Days of Night is a solid reminder of how horrifying a vampire movie can be. 9 out of 10 stars from me.