Columbia Pictures and ghost House Pictures Productions present an R rated, 113 minute film directed by David Slade and starring Josh Hartnett (Eben Oleson), Melissa George (Stella Oleson), Danny Huston (Marlow), Ben Foster (Stranger), Mark Boone Junior (Beau Brower), Makr Rendall (Jake Oleson), Amber Sainsbury (Denise), Manu Bennett (Billy Kitka), Megan Franich (Iris), Joel Tobeck (Doug Hertz), Elizabeth Hawthorne (Lucy Ikos), Nathaniel Lees (Carter Davies), Craig Hall (Wilson Bulosan), Chic Littlewood (Issac Bulosan) and Peter Feeney (John Riis) with a cast of blood sucking violent vampires that speak in loud squeals. Thank goodness for subtitles or you wouldn't understand a thing they were saying.
In the northern most part of the United States there is a town called Barrow, Alaska. Not a huge population, nor a booming town but rather a cozy oil driven community, friendly and quite cold to say the least. In this small town though it is not the cold that is felt rather the fact that death is coming. During this time of the year some people leave their homes and families for other parts of the country so they don't have to wait out the "30 Days of Night". It is the last day of sun and a stranger comes to town, cel phones are burned, sled dogs are butchered, the local airline is stopped and the one helicopter destroyed. Basically all means of communication in and out of this town are being eradicated by someone or something. By the way, after watching the scenes of the dogs killed the producers, like Sam Raimi, better watch out for PETA rather than these other creatures of the night.
Residents live in this town as a way to escape things to do and give them a sense of freedom. It has one sheriff, Eben, who is helped by his younger brother, Jake and their grandmother. Eben's ex-wife, Stella, who is back in town on business with the fire department happens to miss the last flight out of town and ends up stranded in what soon becomes a massive blood bath.
It is never really explained where these vampires, who by the way most people think are myths, come from when they arrive in this small town. But, when they start their carnage no one is spared and the graphic violence of the film is sure to either entice those that enjoy it or gross out the ones that cannot stomach it. Men, women and even children are brutally attacked by these savages not sparing anything to the imagination. I must say that because of this violence and the way the film was directed it surely put a very realistic switch on an old genre of horror.
The writers never really expand on the background of the characters but rather right from the beginning thrust the movie audience into horrific and ungodly acts by these fast, swift, pale, blood thirsty villains of the night. Some of the clichés still hold true to the vampires but in a town with no sun for 30 days these gut ripping, head decapitating, so as to not turn others, blood thirsty gore feasters never stop until they destroy every last being and trace of their existence.
There are several photographic shots used in the film that truly explain the level of strong graphic violence, one being an aerial view of the attack on the town. As a small group of survivors cling on to life for the 30 nights until the first sun the story highlights some ethical points of good versus evil and the levels that fear plays on ones stability. "When a man meets a force he cannot destroy he destroys himself", spoken by the lead vampire. Blood for blood and a will to fight for love their evolves one true hero who decides it would be better to fight these vampires on their own terms. Once a person turns they immediately smell blood which is not a difficult thing to do in this small Alaskan town since bodies line the snowy streets and buildings pretty much from the beginning to the end of the story.
Perfect timing to bring out this film around Halloween since it is sure to scare many a movie audience. It will definitely sell tickets at the box office not to mention the fact that the story moves throughout most of the 113 minutes. Hartnett does an exceptional job in the lead as does George along with their supporting cast but for the most part it is the level of violence which sells this very graphic movie. Some of the scenes are so horrific especially when dealing with children that it is not recommended for the weak of heart. Move over my friend Linda Blair, you may have some bloody competition with one particular child in this film.
Overall, the direction was quite good, writing lacked a bit of background and the score was fitting to this dark gut wrenching small scenic set thriller. Other than the lead vampire I had some mixed feelings about some of the others since they almost seemed more anorexic and animated. All said, being a big horror fan myself I surely wouldn't want to meet any of them in a dark alley. So for your taste of blood this weekend you may want to renew your feelings about the old and somewhat over done until now vampire genre.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.