30 Days of Night ~~~~ ½

What a great film! I had no idea what it was about or who was going to be in it but I was so pleasantly surprised. A '15' certificate coming up trumps and having recently seen a Weta Workshop film 'Black Sheep' was surprised to find this film again shot in New Zealand and with some nearly native actors.

Had I known Josh Hartnett was starring I might have written this off. Not that I don't like him but he seems to have been in some truly forgettable films. All is forgiven. He reminds me of a young Richard Gere. It's all in the squinty eyes. But he's good. Melissa George (an Aussie haling from 'Home and Away' and working her way through the horror genre) was also good. As was the entire cast.

Down to the nitty-gritty. This is a vampire film. Set in the most northern part of America where it's damn snowy and cold. The small community there looses light for thirty days and as such booze is banned and the locals scarper if they can. Like in 'The Thing' and 'Insomnia' the feeling is automatic isolation and claustrophobia. We know something is afoot when a creepy stranger turns up and people, and dogs, start dying. Hartnett and George are the local law and as such take the situation and some of the locals in hand in trying to hide from the as yet unknown murderous fiends.

Every little detail in the film is put to good use. When we're told that the granny grows dope it's for a grander scheme. And the baddies themselves are not the overly used, clichéd erotic animals they are often portrayed as. Here they are frenzied, jumpy bastards who live to feed. Ace!

This film really puts you on edge. It's dark. It's grim and lonely. Based on a comic the director put to good use some smashing shots which you can see were taken from the book. It lends itself well to the screen. Black, white and red...

Please go and see this film. It's exciting. It cuts to the chase. It doesn't wimp out at all. People die all over the place. No-one is spared. If this had been an 18 certificate, who knows what could have happened but as it is, this was pitched just right. A near perfect horror film. Well done all involved! More please.