FRIGHT NIGHT

FRIGHT NIGHT
Fangs For The Memories

Directed by Craig Gillespie
Starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tenant

Yes, it’s another remake of a warmly regarded slice of ‘80s nostalgia, but don’t let that stop you. This new iteration of Tom Holland’s witty 1985 vampire movie just about manages to stand on its own two feet, mostly because, basic premise aside, it shares very little DNA with its forebear.
Eschewing the slow-burn build of its antecedent, the film wastes no time in setting all the pieces on the game board. Charley (Star Trek’s Anton Yelchin) shows some token resistance to the notion when his geeky former best friend, Evil Ed (rent-a-nerd Christopher Mintz-Plasse), tries to convince him that his new neighbour is a vampire, but he soon gets with the program, lest the sleazy Jerry (Colin Farrell) put the fang to his mother (Toni Collette) and girlfriend (Imogen Poots). It’s a smart move; audiences are far too genre-savvy these days, and ditching the “is he/isn’t he” question early helps the film establish its own identity, separate from the original.
Indeed, the film only really falters when it holds on to elements of the original for what must only have been a sense of obligation. The most glaring example is the character of Peter Vincent. Portrayed back in the day by Roddy McDowell as a washed up late night horror host - a cultural niche that doesn’t really exist anymore - his new incarnation is as a stage magician in the Criss Angel mould, essayed by David Tennant. While there’s doubtless a large demographic looking forward to seeing a shirtless Doctor Who in tight leather pants, the character adds little to the proceedings, to the point where his excision from the narrative would leave few ripples. Matters aren’t helped by the fact that Tennant seems to have decided against creating an actual character in favour of doing a fairly generic Russell Brand impersonation.
But there’s still fun to be had. The best thing to come out of the Twilight phenomenon is the inevitable backlash, as writers and filmmakers try to reclaim the vampire as a figure of horror and not romance. While Fright Night dances with the idea of the vampire as a seductive figure, for the most part Jerry is depicted as a dangerous predator who can barely keep his carnivorous impulses in check. It’s just so refreshing to have a nasty nosferatu again, that the mere presence of Farrell’s undead killer compensates for most of the movie’s problems.     
The film also makes excellent use of its Las Vegas location, all neon nights, tract houses and lonely stretches of desert. A few special effects failures aside, it’s remarkably well shot, although it has to be said that the 3D effects sometimes run counter to the film’s intent, working to take the viewer out of the story rather than immerse them in it.
Dark and savvy without being groundbreaking, Fright Night should tick all the boxes for anyone who prefers their vampires bloody. It’s by no means superior to its cinematic ancestor, but neither does it sully the name.

_TRAVIS JOHNSON