IHOG @ The Movies: Fright Night

Fright Night pays respect to the original while updating some of its outdated ideas.  Blood, babes, and a whole lot of black and blue lighting breathe life into a largely forgotten movie while providing a solid cast (if not somewhat one-dimensional).  Read on to see if Fright Night is worth your money or if it…. sucks.  Get it?  Nevermind.

Colin Farrell almost plays the role of Jerry, the creepy, vampire neighbor too well.   But in the end he was perfect.  In fact, I can’t think of anybody better for the role.  Chris Sarandon even makes a great cameo, and in doing so gives his blessing to the new blood.  Get it?  Nevermind.

Remember me?!

Anton Yelchin does a good job as Charlie Brewster although he never really redeems himself for betraying his best friends just so he can date the not-too-likeable, but hot, Amy played by Imogen Poots.  On second thought she is pretty hot.  So maybe it was okay that he betrayed McLovin (Come on.  He will never live that down.  In fact I will continue to call him McLovin for the rest of this review).

I'd betray you for her too =/

Alright one last picture and then lets talk about the movie itself!  Like Doctor Who?  Who doesn’t?!  Get it?  Nevermind.

Anyways David Tennant is in Fright Night doing his best Captain Jack Sparrow impersonation.  Luckily he ditches the beard and wig pretty early on and provides some good laughs toward the end.  He plays Peter Vincent and is a lot more useless in this version of the movie, not to say he isn’t enjoyable.

NOT Johnny Depp I swear

SO HOW WAS THE MOVIE?!!  It was good.  Pretty simply, it was a good movie and a lot of people I heard griping before the movie started left pleasantly surprised.  The acting was good and with Colin Farrell doing his best job of convincing you he moonlights as a vampire in real life too, it is elevated above the craptacular remake bender Hollywood has been on lately.

It brings the blood too, but other than McLovin’s head dangling from a few fleshy threads there isn’t anything that will make you vomit.  The cg is done tastefully too with a few great effects!  If you see it in 3-D know that it is well done and you will be getting your moneys worth.  There is a really “Oooooh that was awesome” moment after Charlie helps the neighbor escape.

The story doesn’t so much deviate from the original, but instead it updates it to make sense in a modern setting, which is really what a good remake should do.  Gone is the first hour of Charlie’s character trying to convince everyone there is a vampire next door.  Instead, once Jerry decides he wants in your house, he comes the fuck in.  I won’t spoil the scene, but if a vampire that works in home construction starts digging up your yard, just run.

My only gripe was that the final confrontation isn’t near as long as it was in the original, although this version has a great twist on the battle to make up for it, more or less.

SO MY FINAL VERDICT IS….  8 out of 10

Come on kid, this hasn't worked on a vampire since From Dusk Till Dawn came out