Sunday, September 25, 2011

MOVIE REVIEW … FRIGHT NIGHT

 

fright-night-movie-poster-2011-1020700542You’d be forgiven for thinking there’s a writer’s strike in Hollywood for the many remakes it has recently churned out.  Fright Night is the latest based on a popular movie released in 1985.  Given the current predilection for vampires in various films and TV shows it’s perhaps understandable why this has appeared.  It’s hoped we’re witnessing the peak of these remakes though as creative and original ideas are usually more memorable.

Charley (Anton Yelchin) is a teenager living at home with his mum Jane (Toni Collette) and happy with his life and girlfriend Amy (Imogen Poots). When the very strange Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door his bright existence is darkened.  Sensing danger, Charley soon discovers Jerry is a blood-thirsty vampire.  Turning to vampire expert Peter Vincent (David Tennant) for advice they try to ward off Jerry’s evil before he turns the neighbourhood into an uninhabitable quagmire.

Fans of the original Fright Night may not find much value in this new version. This is mainly due to it missing much of the campy humour and ironic twisting of horror conventions which made it so good.  Whilst seemingly perhaps an unfair comparison as this has traded on its predecessor’s name such observations are justified.  The performances are fine – with Tennant having the most fun – although their characters are so thinly drawn it’s difficult to care for their fate.

On its own merits Fright Night doesn’t particularly work due to Craig Gillespie’s pedestrian direction and poor script.  There is little in the way of genuine frights or laughs with both walking an awkward narrative trajectory.  Only occasionally do certain moments stand out with the special effects boffins having a field day conjuring various ghoulish delights.  This is where most genre fans will find the most satisfaction as the visual creativity goes a long way in crafting some enjoyment out of an overly earnest production.

Fright Night mark 2 certainly comes off second best to its forebear.  Lacking in much imagination or flair it seems par for the course for recent remakes failing to re-capture the spirit of what has come before.

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Movie Review Rating 4 / 10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.

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