“It was my last sunset on this earth that made me who I am.”
Dracula- Dracula 2000
Vampire movies are a dime a dozen, and when 30 Days of Night was initially released, it was all the rage. In fact, the director David Slade went on to helm The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Please don’t hold that against him or this movie thought. 30 Days of Night stands out as a decent entry into the vampire folklore.
In the far north town of Barrow, Alaska, the polar night is about to begin. This leaves them ripe for an attack by a band of brutal vampires. This is truly a great hook for a film. A whole month where vampires don’t have to worry about sunlight and can dine unimpeded: I’m surprised it hasn’t been done ad nauseam.
While the plot is fairly unique and the setting is too, the characters aren’t. I love the premise, but the script and pace are a bit off. Because this film takes place over 30 days, it requires a lot of time jumping. This causes the film to feel like it’s on fast forward and doesn’t allow characters to grow or deal with a personal loss.
It may sound like I didn’t enjoy this film, but that assumption would be wrong. As a horror film, 30 Days of Night works great. The gore is off the charts, and the vampires are terrifying. Danny Huston plays the leader of the group Marlow. He is vicious and unrelenting. He isn’t a charming or sly menace. He is brutal, fiendish, and arrogant.
Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, and Ben Foster make up the other big names in the cast. Hartnett is a talented actor who has had an enigmatic career. George’s character is tough and independent, but I felt like her performance was a little stilted. Outside of Huston, Ben Foster steals the show. Foster is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood, and he is superb here.
30 Days of Night is fast-paced and sometimes a little too much, but it’s an exciting film. The vampires are brutal, and the action is nonstop. The cinematography of the film is gorgeous, and the acting is above average. I think the ending was a little abrupt, but I didn’t hate it. Slade’s direction lifts a mediocre script, and Ben Foster is once again a scene-stealer. I have to admit 30 Days of Night is one of the scariest vampire movies I’ve ever seen.
