Following the similar vein of the 1985 cult classic, Fright Night is a tale about Charley (Anton Yelchin) ; a 17 year old geek turned popular boy who is currently living life smoothly with his mother (Toni Collette). That is until a bunch of disappearances start occurring in his Las Vegas suburb and all since his creepy neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) moved in. Spurned by his friend Ed's (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) crazy paranoia and accusations, Charley investigates only to find the horrific truth; Jerry is a bloodsucking vampire and is hell bent on ruining your evening. Going straight into the arms of magician and "vampire hunter" Peter Vincent (David Tennant) Charley must do everything in his power to stop Jerry from taking his mother and his girlfriend (Imogean Poots.)
Fright Night is one of those films that works well and is supposed to be viewed in 3D. Very much like Final Destination the shock and actions scenes work terrifyingly as weapons, blood and fire ball straight out of the screen. The 3D is certainly used brilliantly in Fright Night because not only those the shock graphics delight and make you squeal but it also invites you into the world around Charley. There are certain moments of delicacy that seem real enough whilst watching (the ash falling works pretty well.) It is also nice to watch a film where the vampires aren't made to be brooding emotional twerps but instead their true face is ugly, monstrous and frightening which is much a credit to the special effects team as the 3D.
The adults in the film are definitely a highlight. Colin Farrell plays the menacing seductive vampire wonderfully as he stalks his prey with cool calm precision and fires quip after quip whilst being an evil murdering beast. David Tennant, too, plays the alcoholic Peter Vincent as a fantastic comedic relief and certainly entertains well for every second he is on the screen playing what I like to call, a gothed up, drugged up Doctor Who,
But unfortunately, for fresh young talent, the two leads, Anton Yelchin and Imogean Poots don't sparkle as much on screen as their adult counterparts do. Although they are the main characters and sufficient actors, they don't have many times to shine despite the epic finale and thus blend into the background. And there are two actors within this movie who deservedly need more screen time. The amazing Toni Collette and the upcoming McLovin...oh I mean Chistopher Mintz-Plasse, have great scenes but are brushed away under the carpet.
For a comedy horror, Fright Night doesn't have a lot of either and you could quiet easily skip this after watching the trailers. Whilst it keeps the cheese fest horror of the original, it loses its excitement in a matter of minutes becoming just a regular teenage suburban flick. It will make you chuckle but barely and though it is thick in blood, it isn't enough to keep you staying up at night. Certainly, it makes a nice rented movie if there is nothing else on but doesn't have enough gusto for you to fork out your dosh on this bland re-make. But, at least it isn't Twilight.
2.5/5
TTFN
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