A True Gem

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2012)

I absolutely love this film. The visuals are fantastic - there are so many shots in this film that are so intricately put together and incredibly well designed, it's as if every scene could be framed and hung on the wall as art. With the exception of Keanu Reeves (who would give an Ikea wardrobe a run for it's money in the wooden-ness stakes here), the performances are all first rate, with Gary Oldman in particular as the standout (somewhat unsurprisingly). And while the story isn't exactly the same as the original novel, it's great to see chunks of the original script making an appearance on film. It's also great to see vampires portrayed in a different way from either dinner-jacket wearing counts (á la the Hammer movies), rampaging beasts (30 Days Of Night), or agonized, moping teens (as per Twilight). Great movie all round. 10/10