The Forsaken

Plot synopsis:
Tooling along the open road in a restored vintage Mercedes
convertible would be the ultimate vacation, don't you think? That's just
what Sean [Kerr Smith] is doing, with only a few caveats. One is that the car isn't
his. He's merely been hired to drive the Mercedes from California to
Florida. The second is that he has strict instructions not to pick up any
hitchhikers. No problem. Sean can handle it...that is, until he gets a
flat tire in Arizona, is forced to spend the night in a motel room
adjacent to some very noisy neighbors, loses his wallet, and picks up a
hitchhiker to help pay for gas. Nick [Brendan Fehr] seems like a nice guy, not a psycho
or anything. What Sean doesn't know is that Nick is a vampire hunter and
that Sean is about to get caught in his worst nightmare.Sean and Nick make a pitstop at a roadside rest area. As they are
getting back in their car, they are asked to help jumpstart the dead
battery on a red Charger, which Sean recognizes as belonging to his noisy
neighbors from the night before. Nick also recognizes them as the vampires
Kit [Johnathon Schaech], Cym [Phina Oruche], and Teddy [Alexis Thorpe] and their renfield day-driver, Pen [Simon Rex]. Cym recognizes
Nick as a vampire hunter but Kit decides to bide time before killing him.Later that evening, after securing a room at the Palms Inn Motel,
Sean and Nick get a bite to eat. While leaving the restaurant, they
encounter a sick girl whom Nick takes back to the motel room and
tosses in an icebath. When Megan [Izabella Miko] starts screaming, Nick holds her down while
Sean gives her a shot of morphine, explaining that he knows what is
happening to her...she has a blood disorder caused by a virus and the only
way to cure it is to kill the original source of the infection.
Unfortunately, while covering her mouth with his hand to stifle her
screams, Sean gets bitten. The next morning, when Nick tells Sean that
he's been bitten by a vampire, Sean doesn't believe it. Nick waltzes Sean
out to the motel parking area where they find the red Charger with Pen
sleeping on the hood. Nick knocks out Pen by hitting him with a shovel,
finds his car keys, and tells Sean to open the trunk, whereupon Sean is
immediately attacked by Teddy. After Nick whacks Teddy a few times with a
shovel, Teddy bursts into flames in the sun.Beginning to believe, Sean asks Nick how he knows about vampires or
"the Forsaken and their feeders", as Nick refers to them. Nick shows the
bite on his own arm, incurred about a year ago by a feeder at a party.
Since then, he has been searching for the Forsaken who turned her.
Meanwhile, he's been keeping himself from turning by gulping pills
(antigens, amino acids, and proteins), developed to slow the HIV virus but
also effective against the vampire virus...for a while. Nick makes Sean
start taking them, too.When they stop for some fried lizard at a diner in Texas, Sean asks
about the Forsaken. What are they? The Forsaken are the first vampires,
Nick explains, created during the seige at Antioch during the Great
Crusade when the Turks slaughtered over 200 French knights. Only nine
survived. The nine were visited that night by a demon who lurks around
battlefields looking for souls to steal. He made a deal with eight of the
knights, giving them life eternal. To seal the deal, the eight killed and
drank the blood of the ninth. The next morning, however, they were so
ashamed that they hid from the sun in a cave; the next night, they went
their separate ways. And so, the Forsaken spread across the world. About
300 years later, one was killed during the Spanish Inquisition. Since
then, three more have been destroyed, leaving four remaining. One is in
Africa, one in Eastern Europe, and two in the U.S., including the vampire
Kit. The virus is telegenetic, so those bitten remain in touch with their
progenating Forsaken. When the progenator is destroyed, so is the link and
the whole strain dies out. The problem is that the Forsaken can only be
killed on hallowed ground, so Nick suggests that they head for this old
Spanish mission some 60 miles away and wait there for Kit to find them.Unfortunately, they never make it. That night, as Nick and Sean
drive, the vampires catch up with them, ramming the back of the Mercedes
with their Charger, taking potshots at the fenders and gas tank, and
sideswiping the car doors. Each time Nick and Sean manage to elude them,
the vampires catch up. Eventually, the Mercedes runs out of gas, and the
vampire hunters are forced to stop at a house along the road. There is no
gas to be had, but the owner, an elderly lady named Ina Hamm [Carrie Snodgrass], invites them
in so that Megan can rest. During the night, Ina's house is attacked by
Kit and Cym. Nick is happy to learn that Ina's house was built over an old
graveyard. They're on hallowed ground, the best place to make a stand. In
the melee that follows, Nick is shot and Sean's leg is broken, but they
manage to shoot off Cym's head. Just as it looks like Kit is going to get
Sean, the rising sun streams through the window, frying Kit. Sean and
Megan are cured, but not Nick. It turns out that Kit wasn't the progenator
of the feeder who bit him. Nick's search goes on.Epilogue: It is three months later. Nick is hitching in Colorado when a red
Charger stops for him. It is Sean, headed for Denver and hot on the trail
of the other Forsaken. As the two drive off together, Nick wonders if the
owner of the Mercedes was pissed about the car. "Oh, yeah!" Sean exclaims. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl]

Tags: violence, flashback

Review:
Unlike most teen horror films that have come out in the past five years, it is smart, original, and is actually scary at times.
It's a fun horror movie that isn't perfect, yet still worth watching for its somewhat new take on the vampire tale.
Not being a big vampire movie fan, I went to see the film more out of curiosity than anything else.
Over the past few years we have endured a number of films that mix the standard bloodsucking fare with the more modern way of life, so much so the collective movies have spawned their own sub-genre.
More subtle than 'From Dusk Till Dawn' and a hell of a lot more convincing than last year's 'Dracula 2000', The Forsaken unfolds with a po-faced seriousness often lacking in the modern horror film.
Despite both leading men coming from successful teen-oriantated television shows (Kerr Smith from 'Dawson's Creek' and Brendan Fehr from 'Roswell'), The Forsaken never feels like a teen horror movie.
The Forsaken is a good film that, I suspect, will be loved or loathed by anyone who takes the time to watch it.
What I found, however was actually a really good and in parts scary, sexy, vampire movie.
If you dont like great acting, scary scenes, drama or great music than don't watch this movie, cause it has it all.
Ever since The Lost Boys, we haven't had a really good teenage vampire movie that could be a new classic for my generation well, sadly this failed.
The story isn't anything special and the cast is pretty forgettable, I'm not digging the "make up" effects they had considering these "vampires" didn't have any fangs at all, but I didn't feel like my time was totally wasted.Sean is driving cross country to his sister's wedding when he picks up Nick, a hitchhiker who happens to be a vampire hunter hunting a group of vampires led by Kit, one of the Forsaken.
When Sean is infected with the vampire virus, their only hope is to kill the vampire leader before it is too late.The Forsaken is just alright movie, the reason I say that it didn't totally waste my time is because it did have a couple good scenes here and there.
The vampires of the movie were pretty decent as villains, but Simon Rex as this sort of updated retarded Reinfield, it's like if Reinfield and Forrest Gump had a child, it'd be Simon Rex and he just didn't get enough character development for us to care at all about him.
Young man (Kerr Smith) delievering a car to Florida picks up a hitchiker (Brandon Fehr) along the way who manages to get Smith mixed up and eventually bitten by a group of vampires.
Well casted horror film offers realistic performances, nice atmosphere, good editing, well chosen soundtrack, some interesting twists to vampire folklore, and one of the sexiest casts to appear in a horror film in quite some time.Rated R; Graphic Violence, Nudity, Profanity, and Sexual Situations..
Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr played their parts well, Simon Rex made me laugh a few times, John Schaech made a great, nasty villain, great action, very original w/ telegenetics and vampires salivating blood, Izabella Miko made a good jump from Coyote Ugly to this movie.Credit goes to Tim Jones and J.L. Schell for putting together a score the gave the movie an extra boost(one of the best I've heard)8/10, It kicked ass.
You know, sometimes you'll see a B-movie horror flick where the story really grabs you and you think, man, if they just had a better budget, cast, effects, this really could have been something.
Then in turn you'll see a movie with a decent cast, director and money to spend, but its obvious the script was written two days before shooting began.I'm sorry to say that the Forsaken is more of the latter and less of the former.
For us boys, there's plenty of explosions, car chases, the odd bit of nudity, but the plot is so wafer thin it falls to pieces at the first breeze.As a 'popcorn' 'no-brainer' of a movie it's pleasant enough, the cast perform well with what little they've been given, but for me personally the ending felt like it had been 'tacked on' in a rush.
Still if you're at a loose end and you like your horror flicks might be worth a watch for Johnathon Schaech (Star turn in my opinion) as the head vampire.
Some things in the movie not seen before (like a naked woman in a shower not being arousing, of course considering the blood) and some good action and stunts, but the plot seems like it's done before; this film was done better when John Carpenter did vampires (think about the similarites).
Even more so that along the way he picks up a bum vampire killer called Nick (Brendan Fehr) and a catatonic chick Megan (Izabella Miko).
Additionally they are no real action or horror scenes which really stand out and in general you feel more like you are being served a pilot of a television series than a movie itself.The biggest fault I can find in this movie is the character of Megan, who gets involved in the plot for no real purpose, sits around catatonic for most of the movie and doesn't even have a romance with the hero.
With a plot heavily indebted to John Carpenter's Vampires and also Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark this is an OK desert vampire movie aimed squarely at the teen market.
But, with the vampires just nasty cyphers who kill and be killed (rather than in Near Dark where they were just as nasty but at least properly characterised) and sulky heros who hide their emotions behind their dark glasses (I agree with one of the other posters that there is a hidden subtext that the Kerr Smith character is gay) this is a bit of a bore and I found myself hitting the fast forward button somewhere around the half way mark..
I recommend this movie for all who enjoy a good teen-horror flick *better than Scream trilogy and I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel I Still Know...*  I give it 4 and a half stars.
If you enjoy vampire movies with a lot of blood and mean vampires(Not ones who sparkle) Then this is for you.It's about Nick and Sean who meet a mysterious blonde girl.
Along the way he meets a mysterious hitchhiker named Nick (Brendan Fehr) who, it turns out, is on the trail of a very nasty vampire (played to great effect by Johnathon Schaech).
Due to the desert setting and outlaw nature of the vampires, one will see the obvious influence of "Near Dark" on the storyline and while this film is not quite as good as that movie, its not as bad as some people have said.
Add some really cool car chases to the mix and you have yourself a good teenage vampire movie, something that seems rare these days with the introduction of "Twilight".
You better fancy either Brandon Fehr or Kerr Smith, to enjoy this Vampire-Road-Movie.
This movie is perhaps the most entertaining vampire film to hit in twenty years.
It's just a reason to get a couple young hunks and an attractive girl together in a plot to kill some rather boring vampires.Gore - Not nearly enough to satisfy horror movie die-hards.
Come to find out,the girl was recently bitten by a vampire and will completely turn into one in a few days.Nick had the same thing happen to him and thus recognized the symptoms;he's been postponing the inevitable through a cocktail of drugs that can stave off the vampire virus for a while.If he can find and kill the vampire who bit him,the virus will go away."The Forsaken" is a fast-paced vampire flick obviously influenced by Kathryn Bieglow's "Near Dark".The film features a decent amount of blood and nudity.The acting is fine,unfortunately "The Forsaken" is never scary.Still if you want to kill some time give it a look.7 out of 10..
I've read alot of comments about this film mainly bad comments but when i watched this film i found it quite good i've always been into vampire movies and i can't say this was one of the best ones i've seen but i did like it.
Brendon fehr and Kerr smith play their roles very well.some parts are a bit unbelievable and i think they should of done some research before making the movie..
One of the film's greatest pluses here is the strong and somewhat fleshed-out story which is rather nice in not only allowing for a slightly original take on a clichéd vampire story but also making for a natural excuse to feature a lot of action.
Turns out the hitchhiker is a vampire hunter, the girl is infected, and there's a cult of desert vamps seeking them out.I saw this film years ago back in 2001 when it was released, and recently revisited it almost fifteen years later.
It largely cribs this atmosphere in co-opting the tradition of road movies, and many have compared it to "The Hitcher," although I think it aesthetically looks more like John Carpenter's "Vampires" (also set in the desert), from which it borrows liberally.The film is nicely shot, with direction from J.S. Cardone, who began his career with the bizarro '80s slasher film "The Slayer," and would go on to script and direct the atrocious remakes of "Prom Night" and "The Stepfather" after "The Forsaken." For all intents and purposes, the direction here is decent, and there are some great images and scenes interspersed throughout.
Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr ground the film as the two male leads, while Izabella Miko is fantastically weird as the mute, traumatized victim of the vampire gang.
For gas money, Smith agrees to ride with Fehr.Like many vampire films, "The Forsaken" works best as a collection of fantasies for the early teenager.
Writer/director J.S. Cardone corrals it all effectively, without too much originality.****** The Forsaken (4/27/01) J.S. Cardone ~ Kerr Smith, Brendan Fehr, Johnathon Schaech, Izabella Miko.
Take the Vampires script, make the actor's younger and a fewer number of them, then tweak it around just a little bit, throw in some elements from Lost Boys and Near Dark, and you have The Forsaken.
Other then that, they sprayed some cool looking blood around, which is always fun.Overall: The Forsaken is very similar to Vampires and Near Dark.
I was surprised to find such a well-filmed, well-edited overall pretty good vampire action-horror flick.
I've heard from a lot of people that the forsaken is a dumb movie but it's actually  not that bad.
It's no masterpiece, but it's fun to watch and it's not pretentious like the latest vampire movies.Johnathon Schaech looks and acts great, as well as Brendan Fehr and Kerr Smith.
It seems that everyone did their best.The good thing about 'The Forsaken' is that it knows it's a B movie and it doesn't try to prove that it's anything more than that.
(No way in hell you were going to get me to spend DVD rental prices for this.) But much to my surprise, this film ISN'T HALF BAD!Yes half of the cast are the surviving characters from Final Destination that's true.
I like this movie because it was a vampire film and lots of action into it instead of lots of horror.
If anyone is disappointed in this film, try watching Gangster No.1, it's not a horror flick but ten times more bloodier than this movie!.
This vampire movie was way different and I like it.
Based on R2 DVD 91 min.This is a slightly unusual vampire road movie, for what I gather was a low budget flick the director has done a good job.
The Forsaken is a fun movie, loaded with lots of vampire eye candy of both the male and female persuasion.
Shamelessly cribbing from "Near Dark," "The Hitcher," "John Carpenter's Vampires," "The Wraith" and about a dozen other thrillers, writer/director J.S. Cardone has fashioned a slick-looking pastiche aimed squarely at the same teen crowd that eats up TV fare like "Roswell" and "Dawson's Creek" (there are cast members from both of those shows in this film).
Like I said it isn't the best vampire movie but unlike Dracula 2000 or John Carpenter's vampires --It survived and turned out good (behind From Dusk Till Dawn and Blade).
J.S. Cardone's movie "The Forsaken", on the surface, seems like yet another cheesy teen horror flick.
Yet, once the movie starts, it grabs you and never lets go 'til the end.Sean (Kerr Smith) is on his way to Florida, when he runs into Nick (Brendon Fehr), and becomes involved what seems to be a cross-country vampire hunt.
Unlike recent garbage (like John Carpenter's "Vampires" and "Dracula 2000"), this film has a wonderful story line, which delves into vampire folklore (which I am REALLY into, by the way) and gives the "bad guys" more attitude, rather than just making them look like walking stiffs.In general, I found this movie incredible.
I saw this movie because I recognized the two stars (Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr) from Final Destination.
I also found it funny how Kerr Smith could go from a dick-head like character in Final Destination to a nice guy type in The Forsaken.
You can't expect to find a great film here, if you do you will be let down, but if you just want to suspend your reality for 90 minutes, you should have fun.P.S. Izabella Miko is hot Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr are cool and Jonathan Schaech looks old and hairy.
However, it's a post-"Lost Boys" vampire movie, and at no point do water guns filled with Holy Water make an appearance!!The cast is mostly adequate: Kerr Smith (from "Final Destination", one of my favorite recent horror flicks) is okay as the hero, and Simon Rex (former MTV VJ/Gay Porn star) is surprisingly effective as the Rensfield character.
Like most modern horror flicks, the editing gets really choppy whenever there's violence, which is always annoying (and ironic in this case, as the movie's main character aspires to be a film editor!).
The boiling vials of blood in the hospital room.So while "The Forsaken" doesn't break any new ground, it seems to have been made by well-meaning people who genuinely like horror movies, and is better than the recent "Dracula 2000".
Sean, (Kerr Smith) an editor of  B-movie trailers, takes a road trip to Florida for his sister's wedding when he picks up a hitchhiker named Nick ( Brendan Fehr).
Joining Sean and Nick for the ride is Megan (Izabella Miko) a pawn in this vampire game.I remember seeing the trailer for this movie a while back and thinking this might be a good movie.
It had lots of blood,  a dry, dusty setting, actors you've never really seen before,  characters that you really don't care about (although I did like the vampire hunter), nearly every cliche in the book (although they did stay away from the crosses and the garlic), and an ending that leaves the whole thing wide-open for a sequal.I loved the techniques used by the diretor.
As you may think, since the 'bad guys' in the movies drink blood, they are vampires, right?
It didn't use the corny one-liners like every other vamp movie I've seen (but this isn't about vampires, im just giving an example).
Nice quick shower scene with girl washing blood off her whole body, and a flashing on the road made me think that I was possibly going to be in for a treat with a vampire movie featuring WB stars.
Young man driving through the American west runs into a band of vampires and picks up a hitchhiker who's hunting them down.The Forsaken is nothing new, in fact it recalls a number of 80's classics like Near Dark (1987) or The Hitcher (1986), but it does stand as a pretty entertaining vampire movie never the less.
Good movie, Great film.
A generally unknown cast put in a moody and creditable performance in a pretty good vampire road movie.
I mean, some are okay, like this one and Dracula 2000/1, so I can tell you The Forsaken was definitely better then expected.The Forsaken stars, Kerr Smith, Brendan Fehr, Izabella Miko and Johnathon Schaech.
Izabella Miko doesn't really speak much though.The movie is about Sean, (Kerr Smith.) a young guy who has just taken some time of work to drive across the country to attend his sisters wedding.
Further into the movie, Sean ends up being bitten by Megan and gets infected with the vampire virus that Megan and Nick have.
Now, Sean, Nick and Megan must try and kill the vampire leader, Kit (Jonathon Schaech) so everything can be right again.The directing and script in The Forsaken are both very good, which makes this movie a very exciting one and I give it an 8/10..
I love a good horror movie and I wasn't too disappointed with this film.
Beyond being way darker (as in lack of brightness) than the trailers make it out to be, the movie is a lame mix of Near Dark (vampires in the desert) and a Troma film.
Yeah, the really good modern vampire movie.
Have you seen John Carpenter's (pretty bad) vampire movie?
Avoid this film if possible, like all vampires that happen to fall in your way.
There is nothing worth watching here.A young guy named Sean (Kerr Smith) is on his way to his sister's wedding in Florida, when he picks up a hitchhiker named Nick (Brendan Fehr).
But this adventure will not be so easy for vampire hunter Nick, who reveals himself at a nicely timed point in the film amongst some nasty scenes involving a girl that is 'turning'.
This movie is like a cross between "John Carpenter's Vampires" and "The Lost Boys" put together.