Released: October 2007
Director: David Slade
Run Time: 113 Minutes
Rated R
Distributor: Sony/Columbia Pictures
Genre: Horror
Cast:
Josh Hartnett: Eben Oleson
Melissa George: Stella Oleson
Danny Huston: Marlow
Ben Foster: The Stranger
Mark Boone Junior: Beau Brower
Manu Benett: Billy Kitka
Nathaniel Lees: Carter Davies
Vampires are a main staple of the horror genre, whether it’s movies, books, or video games. These creatures of the night are both terrifying, yet alluring at the same time. From the dark and Gothic Count Dracula to the demonic monsters of From Dusk Till Dawn, these fanged bloodsuckers have taken on multiple forms. Ignore those sparkling bitches that you see in those stupid Twilight movies. Those aren’t vampires. They’re pathetic. Real vampires(as real as can be in fiction, of course)are threatening, powerful, alluring, and immortal. But they are also not afraid to do some serious damage. Count Dracula, Blade, and Santanico Pandemonium just to name a few. Along with werewolves, vampires are among the most popular movie monsters of all time. So…how do make a vampire movie that not only stands out among the rest, but is also very compelling? Ask director David Slade, who gave us 30 Days of Night.
There are places in the world where darkness takes hold and doesn’t let go. Welcome to Barrow, Alaska, where once a year, the sun goes down for 30 days and the townspeople hunker down for the cold dark nights ahead. When a mysterious stranger shows up, all hell breaks loose and what’s left of the townspeople have to fight for their lives until the sun comes up again as they are under attack from a group of bloodthirsty vampires. The overall story is kind of one that we have seen before, but it’s still pretty effective. Based on the comic mini-series of the same name, the film follows Sheriff Eben Oleson as he tries to keep survivors alive. I haven’t read the mini-series, but the story is pretty exceptional, although, the vampires are more fleshed out in the comics than they are in the film. I certainly would have loved to have learned more about them and their leader, Marlow. But as it stands, the film is pretty effective on its own.
The vampires in 30 Days of Night are unlike any other vampires that I’ve seen in other movies. They are as different from Dracula as they are from the ones in From Dusk Till Dawn. They aren’t particularly supernatural, but they are very animalistic, which makes them far more brutal and vicious than any other vampire in film or literature. Their mouths resemble more of that of a shark’s, with all of their teeth being razor sharp. The way they move in this film resembles more of a beast than a man. The way they communicate with each other is also interesting. There is a spoken language, but the communication is done through body language and screeches There’s no shape-shifting or turning into mist here. This strikes me more of a realistic version of vampires, if they were real. These guys are not nice. They are evil. The lead vampire, Marlow, is played by Danny Huston, who turns in an incredibly electric performance as the vampire leader. On the human side of the equation, we have Josh Hartnett who plays the town’s sheriff, Eben Oleson. Josh is an incredibly underrated actor, and it’s a shame that he’s not really getting the attention he deserves. He plays character that are fairly likable and Sheriff Oleson is one of them. Melissa George plays Stella, Eben’s wife. She definitely holds her own with Hartnett. Ben Foster kind of steals the show at times as The Stranger, the guy who brings the vampires to Barrow. Ben Foster has quickly become one of my favorite actors. He really gets into the heads of the characters that he plays, and he’s willing to go dark places to make sure those characters are authentic. Overall, the acting is fantastic.
What really stands out about 30 Days of Night is where the film is set. The film wasn’t shot on location in Barrow, as the town itself doesn’t actually lend itself to the bleak nature of the film, so the movie was filmed in New Zealand. That being said, I did a little bit of research into Barrow, Alaska before starting the film. Barrow is one of the most isolated towns in the United States. There are literally no roads that go into Barrow. The only way you can get there is by plane. It is almost literally at the top of the world at the very northern edge of Alaska. As a result, the town does experience what is called a polar night. It’s a phenomenon that only happens in the northern and southernmost reaches of the world. It only happens in the polar circles. Basically, the sun goes down for about 65 days, starting at the end of November, and going until towards the end of January. That’s two months of perpetual night. That makes for an incredibly isolated and spooky experience, as there is literally no help for over 100 miles, if they get cut off. That’s what happens in 30 Days of Night. It was a very brilliant idea to set the story in this part of the world. If I was a vampire, I would take advantage of that phenomenon.
The effects are mostly practical, even though there are some CGI shots here and there, and there’s definitely some green screen going on, but it’s done in such a way that makes the film feel even more isolated. The film is definitely violent and extremely bloody, which makes sense for a vampire movie. When the action hits, it’s brutal as the vampires show absolutely no mercy. Shortly after the lights go out, the vampires basically slaughter everyone in sight in one of the most harrowing scenes I’ve seen in a movie of this sort. After that scene, the film takes on a kind of cat-and-mouse kind of feel, as the survivors are trying to avoid fighting these creatures, because the only way you can kill them is by taking their heads off or letting the sun take them out. Considering the town is covered in darkness for 30 days, the sun’s not really an option, but Eben does use a UV lamp to his advantage. Even though the film does slow down at times, almost unbearably so, it still has that tension that you need to have for a horror movie. The pacing of the film is pretty much my only real gripe with the film. Outside of that, it’s an incredibly bleak, yet fun vampire film that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s highly recommended.
My Final Recommendation: Don’t visit Barrow, Alaska at the end of the year. Vampires may be afoot. 9/10