Fright Night
With a surprising number of blood-soaked scares and an energetic script, 'Fright Night' manages to break free of the 'remake' burden and deliver a great end-of-summer experience. It's good fun, and only really suffers from its lengthy runtime during the final reckoning.
The hype...
Another '80s remake, and another boasting 3D. The setup feels a lot like Shia Labeouf thriller 'Disturbia' as an up-and-coming actor takes centre stage once more. But can Colin Farrell play a convincing vampire and will David Tennant ever escape the shackles of 'Doctor Who'?
The story...
Things are finally going Charley's (Anton Yelchin) way. His mother (Toni Collette) approves of his popular high school girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots), and he's in with the cool kids. But his new found friends mean that Charley has lost touch with Ed (Christoph Mintz-Plasse), and dismisses his former pal's impassioned claims that there is a vampire living in their midst.
When Ed disappears, Charley begins to suspect something is amiss. The focus turns to his rarely-seen neighbour, Jerry (Colin Farrell), who works nights and keeps his windows permanently blacked out.
When Charley makes a shocking discovery, the evidence is irrefutable, but will he be able to convince anyone that there is a blood-sucking monster living next door? And can he rely on eccentric Las Vegas illusionist Peter Vincent (David Tennant) to help save the day?
The breakdown...
There's an appetite for all things vampire-related at the moment, and the ongoing obsession with remakes in Hollywood meant an update of popular 1985 film 'Fright Night' was inevitable.
It could have been another lazy cash-in, toning down the horror to a supposed crowd-pleasing level, but happily this is one remake that avoids pandering to the 'Twilight' audience and keeps the fresh ideas flowing.
It's not a total vampire reinvention, but it does modernise the genre by making use of technology, and playing on our preconceptions. Above all, this version of 'Fright Night' provides the fright element of the title in healthy doses, something that has been lacking during the summer season.
Colin Farrell makes for a convincing creature of the night. He can do evil alright, and has never had a problem providing the levels of on-screen sexiness that vampires tend to exude. The scenes where he is trying to worm his way into the household are genuinely creepy and the Irish actor is on fine form throughout.
Yelchin makes for a likeable lead as well. His attempts to foil Jerry are believable, and avoid the frustrations we often suffer when characters go 'back inside' rather than running for help. Giving him the hot girl from the start is a neat idea too; it swerves a tedious setup that might otherwise have dragged the first act down.
Two familiar faces provide the eccentric side of the film. 'Superbad' star Christoph Mintz-Plasse isn't really stretching himself as nerdy Ed, but he does come into his own when the character undergoes a dramatic transformation. This comes at the same time as the introduction of David Tennant, who is great fun as egocentric illusionist Peter Vincent. Though his routine does grate by the end of the movie.
This is the biggest problem with the film; it goes on for fifteen minutes more than it should, making us resent some character traits that would otherwise have passed unnoticed. The final confrontation is good, but not up to the standard of the earlier set-pieces, which undermines the conclusion.
The verdict...
Quite frankly, this is the movie 'Super 8' should have been – an homage that feels fresh and contemporary. Great performances all round and a handful of proper frights make for an unexpectedly enjoyable popcorn flick.
Rating: 3.5/5
'Fright Night (3D)' is due to be released in the UK on 2 September. Certificate: 15.
