30 Days of Night - 2007

What It Is: A nice conversion of a comic detailing 30 days of darkness in the northernmost town in Alaska... and the vampires that decide to vacation there.

Why I Watched It: Because the comic fucking ROCKED!

What I Thought: 30 Days was a damn good vampire film and a good comic to screen translation. It wasn't quite as literal a translation as Sin City or 300, but the changes were fairly minor and didn't detract from the enjoyment of the movie.

And this movie featured buckets of enjoyment. Realistic and visceral buckets of enjoyment. By enjoyment I of course mean bloodshed, but that's what you want from a vampire film right?

30 Days of Night was one of the most atmospheric horror films I've seen in a long time. Moments of truly copious violence were spaced out by moody sequences focusing on the terror and paranoia of the protagonists. Much of the violence actually took place off camera with the survivors only hearing the screams or merely finding the aftermath. 30 Days drove it's point home brilliantly: No one is coming for you, you can't escape, there are more of them, and you are their food!

I also want to take the time to mention the particular nature of the vampires featured in 30 Days. They weren't Anne Rice's sexy immortals and they weren't Blade's stylish villains. They were intelligent blood spattered predators with a thirst so great that every decision regarded finding the next meal. Think of intelligent and fast zombies, but switch food sources and you have the right idea. The vampires in 30 Days were no longer people, they fucking ATE people.

Highlights: One man's idea of "saving" his family, the crane shot over the massacre, vampires hunting with bait, and the often overlooked axe as a vampire slaying weapon!

Who Should See It: Horror fans, comic geeks, and vampire lovers.

How Soon: A good scare just in time for Halloween? Perfect!