DirkUSA

I really like the idea and the story, it just feels like it should have been done better. I still like the movie but it feels like there is something missing.

Dirk

An4h0ny

that's pretty much what a lot of the reviewers say

i'm still gonna rent this and watch it late at night



thanks everyone for their opinions and OP for the review

ced1

Heh, heh. Use your imagination!

ced1

You'll love it!!!

mikelowry

Though the movie wasn't perfect especially the script, 30 Days Night is definitely one of the better horror flicks released lately. The Alaskan location was perfect and heightens the mood of isolation and horror. Also, the vampires and their unknown language was scary as hell. 4 out of 5 stars.

ced1

You said it well!

FlickMan

I'll also defend your like for this flick, ced1...Though I DO agree with the others there are some flaws, the movie for me still managed to keep my interest with everything going on! I give it a 7/10

ced1

Thanks!

Brent L

Here is what I posted the very night I watched the flick:

I don't understand how any hardcore horror fan can't give it at least a decent review. There's a lot to like about this one, especially for fans of vampires.

The overhead scrolling shot is still one of my favorite shots of all of last year. That was just awesome.

wewantflair

I feel like a jerk, but I can't help but be skeptical when a new user posts a glowing review out of nowhere for a Sony movie, and a pretty damn lousy one at that.

That being said, this film was a drab and boring affair. I hated every one of the human characters, who all acted like idiots, and the vampires' behavior over the course of the month (roaming around doing nothing) was just irritating beyond belief.

ced1

I couldn't agree with you assessment more! Great summary of the flick. Also, the overhead shot was magnificent. That alone made the movie worth viewing.

ced1

I don't get your meaning? What would make you skeptical? My review was an attempt to express what I liked about this movie.

Maybe, you mean you're cynical rather than skeptical?

A movie lousy -- in your opinion. That's not an absolute truth is it?

cajun_junky

Being a big horror fan, I can be very forgiving if the movie delivers a new twist or some novel angle. Having said that I thought the movie was very good, although there were many flaws that did detract from the movie (as mentioned by others). What made it good in my humble opinion was the novelty of the vampires. They were aggressive killing machines, creepy, and their language was very cool.

I didn't like the timeline, but my biggest problem with the movie was the ending. It seemed like they could not come up with a good ending so they went for what they did.

All in all, a very decent vampire flick in my book.

ced1

I concede to your point about the ending. I cut them some slack because it's really tough to come up with something new. They sort of did, but I agree it didn't work 100%!

Ford Prefect

I thought the movie was OK, but the graphic novel was much better. As for him being skeptical about a new user posting a positive review of a Sony movie (which was generally not well received), that is simple. A few years ago, if my memory serves correctly, Sony got caught inventing critics that did not exist. They then used positive quotes from these critics to give positive spin to movies that were getting bad reviews or to just build hype for their movies. Sony got in some trouble for this and were ordered to stop this practice. When a new user comes on promoting a Sony film, there is always a chance it is a Sony plant trying to increase sales.

ced1

OK. That makes sense. But, I am not a plant; just a horror fan.

An4h0ny

hey ced... did you see this?

http://www.hulu.com/30-days-of-night-blood-trails

looks like a cool prequel

i'm gonna watch it before i watch the movie, i think...

just bought the dvd the other day.

nateman

Great review ced1. I bought "30 Days of Night" on Blu-ray when it came out, and although it's hardly an original movie, for all the garbage the horror genre has pumped out lately; this was pretty good.

I watched "30 Days of Night" a long time ago, but, and although some scenes are very cheesy; it was a fun, entertaining little vampire flick. It isn't "Nosferatu", "Dracula" or "Shadow of the Vampire", but it's worth watching for horror fans that are sick of garbage like the new "Prom Night" (I haven't seen "Prom Night" yet (and I don't plan on it either), but it looks like the same old generic crap). I enjoyed Josh Hartnett's performance, and he had pretty good chemistry with Melissa George.

Centurion

Just saw the BD version last night. This was my first time watching 30 Days.
First, just so everyone knows where I'm coming from because it helps give my opinion more credibility...
I'm a horror-film type of guy. I enjoy that feeling of being scared.
I like when a horror film creates a feeling of tension, darkness, and evil and then maintains that throughout with a few hair-raising moments thrown in between.

Likes:
- Great location for a vampire flick. A small town, in the cold, no sun for days, completely isolated from contact.

- Cinematography for this kind of a movie was great. Very slight camera shake during scenes in the attic where the humans were trying to be quiet made me feel I was in there too. The top-down view during the mayhem in the middle of the street was so good. I thought it was going to be a short clip but it kept going for about 200 yards.

- Color selection and wardrobe was superb. I'm use to seeing bright yellow or orange clothing in just about every movie that has snow. Not here. It was obvious the director wanted to keep colors on the grayish to dark side. The townsfolk and even the Marshalls wore neutral colors. The snow in the air and on the ground creates a nice contrast to the bland colors of the buildings and the nighttime sky. For me, this look really helps in giving a feeling of eerieness and suspense.

- The vampires were portrayed the way I like to see them. They obviously were once human. They behave with almost animal-like mannerisms yet they show intelligence. They don't wear expensive clothing, they don't have an armory of weapons, and they don't transform into anything else. They stay as you see them. Their mouths and clothing (in particular the chest area and sleeves near the hands) are drenched in blood. The eyes with an all black iris (though they still have the sclera, the white part) and the razor sharp teeth (all of them, not just the 4 cuspids) creates an evil look. They travel by walking, running, jumping, even crawling (rapidly I might add) and have superhuman strength. They communicate in a language that you know is not of this earth, and because of that, are able to work together and create traps. As I said earlier, this is how I like seeing vampires in a movie. Glad to finally see it done right.

Dislikes:
- Not enough back story to the vampires. We don't know how they got there and why. I would only assume it was by that big cargo ship at the beginning of the movie. But then, where did they get the ship? What happened to the crew (the vampire's clothing suggests that they did not work on that ship).

- Casting. You want me to believe that Josh Hartnett is a Head Marshall in charge of a whole town? Face looks too clean and too young. This role needed someone with a little more roughness in the face. Someone who looks experienced, perhaps someone in his 40's.

- The love story. I don't like love stories in my horror movies, but as it turns out, this one was needed for a critical decision Eben needed to make towards the end of the movie.

- Loop holes. Too many to list but I'll focus on just the vampires pawn...

How does one guy, a small one at that, kill every sled dog in the town?
He destroys a helicopter then takes some of the parts to an industrial building and throws them into a compactor. Was that necessary?
Also, how does he find all these critical areas in what I can only assume is a couple days without being noticed?
Why does he ask to eat raw meat? He's not a vampire.
When was the last time you started foaming at the mouth when you were angry?

And the one I love the most...how the f*%@ does he get everyones cell phone?????

To conclude, I absolutely loved this movie. It's been the best vampire flick I've seen to date. A lot of the 'dislikes' I mentioned above I was able to just take them for what they were. I mean, it would be difficult to completely isolate a town had those things not been performed. Isolation was a very important ingredient for this movie to work.

I would certainly recommend this one to all horror fans.

True_Story1011

As anyone who knows the comics (yes comics, not graphic novel - that was collected later) this vol. was only 3 issues long. So even in the comic, they just threw you right into the action of what was going on. No real backstory until the second volume, 'Dark Days'.

I hope with all things stated that this picture can pull a sequel and you can the equally cool 'Dark Days'. There is a back story and Eben's wife goes Vampire hunting!

Oh, and I would've loved to see Josh Brolin as Eben.

True_Story1011

Oh.... also!

IF all you guys in here think that horror movies are in the toliet right now should check out these two titles:

Ruins
The Orphanage

good stuff!


Oh - 'Diary of the Dead' rocked hard also!

Centurion

TrueStory,

Yes! Someone like Josh Brolin has the look I would prefer to see as the lead character. In my opinion, more believable and appropriate for this part.

Definitely looking forward to The Orphanage. Guillermo Del Toro has that dark style that I like in horror flicks.

...and oh yeah, it's coming out in BD with DTS HD-MA 7.1 just like Pan's Labyrinth. April 22 is just 4 days away.

True_Story1011

It really makes you wonder how many other actors they offered this role to before settling for Josh Hartnett?