a refreshing vampire tale that takes the creatures of the night back to their gritty roots.

Rating: 8/10 (30 September 2016)

30 days of night (07) directed by David Slade is an excellent film. the vampire sub genre has relied on films like The Lost Boys (1987) and Interview with the vampire (1994) for quite some time. vampires had become more sensual, seductive and hip than terrifying, gritty and savage. this movie takes them back to their roots. portraying them as savage bloodthirsty creatures that are actually scary. this paired with the rather fresh premise of 30 days of pure darkness in a small Alaskan town, makes for a wonderfully refreshing vampire film.
David Slade's direction here is actually quite good, he had a reasonable budget to work with and it showed. gorgeous sweeping helicopter shots, great photography, and some really nice crane shots. Slade knows how to get full effectiveness out of his premise with his ability to create an excellent sense of total isolation with these big sweeping shots, and he also shows his ability to create some intensity with his more personal shots. while definitely not Fincher or Coppola level direction it is still very good and worth mentioning. we are also treated to some very good lighting and sound design, which adds to the intensity and tension of the film.
the vampire designs are very creepy and effective. while not the most exquisite or flashy, the costumes and makeup look great and are genuinely creepy. also the special effects are amazing. the gore looks very intense and there is a lot of it, which makes sense in such a brutal and gritty vampire film. the entire cast give great performances here, the standouts being Josh Hartnett and Melissa George. Hartnett's character is portrayed with realism and logic and does not come across as cheesy or over the top. the same applies to George's character. we also don't get a lot of characterization or back story on our leads or the vampires. this however works very well. we get a smidge of backstory for our leads which makes them seem like real characters that aren't just wooden horror characters. and in regards to the vampires we get no back story or characterization for them at all which works so well. it shrouds them in mystery as well as helps portray them as savage and unforgiving beasts that have no real motive other than being hungry.
overall 30 days of night is a very refreshing vampire film that brings the vampire sub genre back to its roots and makes vampires scary again. great acting, premise, direction, lighting, vampire design, setting, and gore effects. if you want to watch a truly scary vampire film, with some good gore and some genuine intensity check this one out, you wont be sorry.
the verdict: 8.5/10