2008 Woodie Awards
'30 Days' delivers real chills
Tom Pittman
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Entertainment
- Page 1 of 2 next >
When was the last time a vampire movie actually frightened anyone? The "Blade" trilogy, along with "Underworld" and "Underworld: Evolution", transformed vampires from monsters into action stars. Director David Slade returns vampire movies to their proper form in "30 Days of Night". This adaptaition of Niles and Templesmith's graphic novel gives the audience members long periods of suspense intertwined with succinct bursts of terror. Believability, skillfully shot scenes, and mediocre acting, all contribute to creating the top horror movie of 2007.
The "30 Days of Night" refers to the month of darkness the town of Barrow, Alaska experiences each year. The town's airport closes down during this part of the year and most of the towns' people leave during the last day of light. During the last day of light, Barrow's Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett) receives several calls involving vandalism and pranks. As the crimes become more severe, the town enters into the month of darkness. The moment the "30 Days of Night" begins, it becomes apparent that the crimes will serve there intended purpose. Now the citizens of Barrow need to worry about surviving the dark and the creatures that it brings.
It is not uncommon to be left confused about actions performed by characters in horror movies. This notion becomes more prevalent when the horror movie involves supernatural creatures. Many questions are usually raised like, "Why didn't they call someone? How does a small town cop turn into an Army Ranger? Can creatures, supposedly alive for thousands of years, really be outsmarted by someone with a high school or college diploma?" "30 Days of Night" addresses any issue that could potentially be raised about the likelihood of the events being portrayed. This consequently leads to a realistic, believable vampire movie, which in itself is unbelievable. Horror movies become more terrorizing when the audience believes that the events unfolding on screen could actually happen. This realistic approach is supported by David Slade's shot choices throughout the film.
The "30 Days of Night" refers to the month of darkness the town of Barrow, Alaska experiences each year. The town's airport closes down during this part of the year and most of the towns' people leave during the last day of light. During the last day of light, Barrow's Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett) receives several calls involving vandalism and pranks. As the crimes become more severe, the town enters into the month of darkness. The moment the "30 Days of Night" begins, it becomes apparent that the crimes will serve there intended purpose. Now the citizens of Barrow need to worry about surviving the dark and the creatures that it brings.
It is not uncommon to be left confused about actions performed by characters in horror movies. This notion becomes more prevalent when the horror movie involves supernatural creatures. Many questions are usually raised like, "Why didn't they call someone? How does a small town cop turn into an Army Ranger? Can creatures, supposedly alive for thousands of years, really be outsmarted by someone with a high school or college diploma?" "30 Days of Night" addresses any issue that could potentially be raised about the likelihood of the events being portrayed. This consequently leads to a realistic, believable vampire movie, which in itself is unbelievable. Horror movies become more terrorizing when the audience believes that the events unfolding on screen could actually happen. This realistic approach is supported by David Slade's shot choices throughout the film.
RSS Feed
Be the first to comment on this story