Fright Night (2011)

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Spookier than a werewolf bar mitzvah!

Director Craig Gillespie

Starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Imogen Poots

Things You Might Like

• A malicious vampire
• 80’s Style adventure
• Classic vampire rules apply
• Solid humor
• David Tennant!

Things You Might Not Like

• Predictable storyline
• Some cheesy effects

Conclusion
Fright Night is a straight-forward Horror-Comedy that provides several laughs and some decent suspense. Check it out, if you can find a theater showing it.

4 out of 5 Nights Spent Frightened

Josh Robinson

***

Fright Night follows a young teen and his girlfriend, as well as his Mom, as they fight to survive against a vampire that’s moved in next door. Right off the bat, the movie makes no pretense that Jerry, played by Colin Farrell, (best known for his portrayal of Bullseye in 2003’s cinematic masterpiece Daredevil) is a ruthless killer. Specifically, he is a ruthless vampire, which we seem to see less and less of these days. Farrell’s vampire is an absolute, cold-blooded murderer who wants nothing more than to feed. He’s cunning and crafty, and this helps to keep him from coming across as somewhat one-dimensional.

Our protagonist, Charley, played by Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator: Salvation),  is just another high school nerd who’s trying to be cool and put his geekery behind him. For the most part, hes succeeded. He’s dating a girl in his class, Amy (Imogen Poots), and things are going relatively well. His mother, Jane (Toni Collette) is single and looking. Enter Jerry. The charming next-door neighbor who works on a road crew at night on the Vegas strip. And yes, this helps to assuage initial suspicions because, hey, that’s his job, right?

Pretty early on in the film, two of Charley’s nerdy ex-friends get taken and this is what spurs on Charley’s search. Before long, Charley has “proof” that Jerry is a vampire and so the hunt begins. This is where Peter Vincent (David Tennant of Doctor Who and Macbeth fame) comes into play. As a world-famous Magician and “Master of the Occult”, he boasts big knowledge of vampires and how to hunt them and so Charley seeks his help. Hijinks ensue soon after and the movie really picks up the pace here.

Fright Night delivers a lot of oohs and ahhs for most of the film. The story gets setup rather fast and then it’s an all-out blast until the end. The suspense  works pretty well and you never know what Jerry is going to do next. Whether he’s ripping a gas-main out of the ground or simply lurking at a door-frame, waiting for an invitation inside, Farrell’s “Jerry” provides some great thrills. Contrasting the horrific events is some pretty funny dialogue. Shaun of the Dead comes to mind. Banter between Charley and his friend or conversations and one-liner’s with Tennant’s “Peter Vincent” help to pepper the script with some laughs. The laughs are even better if you’re a Doctor Who fan who can’t picture Tennant in this kind of role.

While an enjoyable watch, Fright Night does suffer from the classic Horror/Comedy ails. The plot is predictable, though not entirely anticipated and some of the special effects can be a bit cheesy. Some of the special effects are great, but others are reminiscent of 2003’s Van Helsing. Not painful to watch, but they can remind you of bigger special effects budgets.

The one thing that Fright Night has that a lot of movies don’t seem to have lately is a sort of rewatchability. Like the 80’s film it’s based on, Fright Night is structured in a way that makes me want to watch it over and over again, much like I’d want to replay a videogame. The events move quickly and the story is satisfying while not hindering the action. Something about it just makes me want to come back for more, and I do hope there is a sequel.

All of this to say that Fright Night is an enjoyable romp through the Las Vegas suburbs with both thrills and laughs that are perfect for a date night or alone in your parents’ basement (loser). Check it out if you’re a fan of horror movies.

Buy Fright Night from Amazon