Fright Night (2011)

   
Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Written by:
Marti Noxon

Starring:

Anton Yelchin .... Charley Brewster
Colin Farrell .... Jerry
Toni Collette .... Jane Brewster
David Tennant .... Peter Vincent
Imogen Poots .... Amy
Christopher Mintz-Plasse .... Ed

Release Dates:
Theatrical: August 19, 2001; Fright Nights Film Festival: October 31, 2011 (Austria)

*Images courtesy at: www.beyondhollywood.com

 

 

 

Rating:

 

 

Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) has become popular in highschool since he has dated a popular girl named Amy (Imogen Poots) and outgrew his nerdy phase becoming distant to his once best friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) but the two of them realise that many of their classmates are missing from school which makes them both concerned.
After school Charley discovers that he has a new neighbor named Jerry (Colin Farrell) who claims that he is a plumber and then gets a message from Ed to meet him at a one of their classmates house in which he tells Charley that his new neighbor Jerry is a vampire as they break into the home to find any proof in order for Charley to believe this.
Ed ends up missing after that night so Charley gets suspicious and no one believes his story about his next door neighbor. So he tries to go to the aid of an arrogant performer and magician named Peter Vincent (David Tennant) who hosts a Fright Night TV show but he doesn't believe his story until some creepy incidents happen to him.
The two of them have to put a stop to Jerry once and for all after Jerry kidnaps Amy as well as Jane (Toni Collette) his mother is in a coma and put in a hospital. To top it all off a couple of his friends have disappeared too in which a deadly event is pitted against both of them while battling off these creatures of the night.

 

The beginning looked incredibly impressive showing the Dreamworks Presentation with the clouds and then it blends in with the beginning of the film as it shows clouds in the night and then zooming down towards a small nieghborhood in Las Vegas and then inside a home which shows a TV screen on with the news of a woman discussing a person who bit someone on the neck making this a nice touch for the story here. Plus we see a dog eating some leftover food on a table which makes you wonder what is going to happen since things seem too quiet but then we spot a teenage kid being attacked by a mysterious vampire which seems to be a bit different for the beginning of this remake compared to the original which is a good thing.
Then it's the next day in a peaceful looking neighborhood as we spot a single mother Jane Brewster organising real estate signs and it shows the sharp ends of them in which this seemed impressive knowing they may be in use later on in the story. Then later on her son Charley is in class and the teacher calls out names and some don't answer which was also impressive making you think that their lives were taken by the mysterious vampire the night before. Definetely gives this story a creepy thought without a doubt.
After school it's impressive that Charley is on his way home with his girlfriend Amy and they spot his Mother talking to a new neighbor Jerry as right away we all know that he's a vampire just like in the original. However, he doesn't seem like your everyday one except the fact that he looked a little too pale. Typical looking vampires are too overrated these days and this looked good for present day standards.
There's even a moment with Charley's former nerdy friend Ed breaking into a home convinced that his new neighbor is a vampire in which the writing and all the surroundings here seemed cheesily done with this discussion as well as them looking around for clues. Yet we spot in the background peeking in a window is good old Jerry which seems to work in well compared to this cheesy moment here.
Plus we get to see Ed's background life in which we haven't been able to in the original as there were suggestions that he was badly picked on. Yet we've never seen this at all. We watch him skateboarding down a road but then a nice jumping moment when one of his highschool bullies pushes him off as this looked nice to watch when things seem silent and peaceful then BANG! Also good one liners with Ed telling him to just hit him and then tricking him by running away. Suddenly afterwards he is faced by Jerry himself and tries to scramble away from him thinking that he's safe inside a house since he never invited him. Yet you have a creepy feeling that he's coming in anyhow with his one liners on him not doing his homework on vampires since he was stalking him. This sounds like a new rule in today's horror society that vampires are more sneaky than ever.
There's also a moment when Jerry asks Charley to loan him a six pack which is a good suggestion to trick him into inviting him in and you see the moments when Jerry seems to try hard to walk into the house that he can't. The writing here totally studied on vampires when they're not invited in. It's also good when some accidents happen and Jerry offers his help but Charlie is hesitant. This all works well on the pressure that he suspects is a vampire and is preventing himself for letting him in the house.
Some scene's pay a tribute to the original though as Charley and his girlfriend Amy are making out but this time Amy tries to lead him on to have sex with her and he feels insecure about it. Seems with remakes they switch some of these situations around quite often so it's not exactly the same at all. Then he spots Jerry inviting a woman into his home but yet this didn't have the same creepiness like in the original and seemed a little too hokey.
Charlie even tries to sneak into Jerry's home when he is out doing some deadly deed somewhere else in which this does give you the creeps to what he spots and some gothic surroundings too. Plus Jerry arrives home which even keeps you in suspense that he will get caught and finds some way to hide without getting caught. It was cool with him finding some passageways of doors leading to rooms in which this almost reminded me of what you'd see in the Saw movies. There's also a good jumping moment when he looks at a peephole of a door and a hand slams in the air towards it.
Another real jumping moment is when Charley tries to rescue one of his neighbors out of Charley's home after he bit her on the neck and suddenly it's daylight in which this leaves you a creepy feeling on what will happen to her if sunlight hits her. All I can say without spoiling this moment is that the effects looked marvellous and great to watch on 3D in theatre's.
The story shows some great wit when Charley goes to the Fright Night studio to talk to Peter Vincent and of course he acts like a typical primadonna to his other cast members which showed a ton of great wit with the dialogue and this was sharply written in along with him talking to Charley when he asks him for help with the vampires in which all of this looked highly entertaining. Plus we spot Peter at first looking gothic with long hair as well as a beard but then later on we spot him taking it all off discovering that it is all just a costume. Yet it stands up totally to today's standards in what a costume for a horror show should be like having a Rob Zombie type of appeal.
Plus another moment is when there's peer pressure with Jerry ringing the Brewster's home calling to be let in and Charley convincing his Mom not to open the door and him being dangerous with her acting ignorant as this is a real mind twister wondering if she will succeed to open the door and let him in especially when he tells her that Charley has been harrassing him and will get the authorities. This really worked in well and cleverly written on a peer pressuring moment too.
Then the action and suspense packs a punch when Jerry finds a way to get to them which shows good effects and a great trick for a vampire to get to anyone if they're not invited in as this seems to be a different twist for a vampire flick in which none of this was used in the original as it should be that way if a filmmaker is going to write a new movie. I won't spoil it for you to what he does so you will have to find out for yourself.
Some great car chasing scene's with Jerry driving behind Charley, Jane and Amy in their vehicle with him crashing into them as there's great loud banging sounds which can make you jump big time and keep you in suspense. Also a nice moment with Jerry being stabbed by the sharp real estate sign and him screeching and running around like a wild animal in which this looked effective to watch him do all of this suffocating.
Also some good chuckles after Jane is in a coma in a hospital with crucifix's around her room and Charley explains to the people at the hospital that she's very religious.
There's also Ed as a vampire doing a classic battle against Charley in which all of this looked fun to watch and in fast style too. Plus a nice chasing scene with Jerry after Amy which she tries to shoot him with a gun and some good witty one liners when he tells her bullets are for werewolves and she finds a cup of holy water and sadi for vampire's and splashes it in his face.
There's even a scene at a dance club which almost pays a tribute to the original except this dance bar looks a bit grungier and alot faster for things to happen like Jerry grabbing a hold of Amy and storming away with her as well as Charley trying to get to her but a bouncer drags him away.
More fun moments with Peter and Charley trying to rescue Amy and some vampire's that Jerry has bitten crawls out of the ground to try and attack in which this for sure looked like a zombie type of surrounding. Nicely put in I must say and another different twist for a vampire movie. All of this can inspire future vampire flicks indeed. Also there's moments with Jerry being wicked and dodging holes from a roof with sunlight shining down pacing towards Peter and Charley.
Bottom line is that this film swhows some original moments for a remake and was done right since remakes started to really improve alot since the craze for them were starting but the same old thing. It shows better effects and updated performances with new dark humor added to everything. Yet nowhere near as good as the original. Remakes normally never are. A sequel can be made out of this since it may appeal to today's horror fans begging for more. Sometimes it has it's ups and downs within how entertaining everything is. Great to watch on 3D on the big screen which is worth the money to see it if you haven't already.

The acting is not too badly performed but needs some criticism I must say as lead actor Anton Yelchin (Charley Brewster) seems a bit stale in his performance and seems average with everything that he does in which he seemed to have bored me a bit in the beginning but did show some great adrenaline later on whenever he acted anxious or even freaked out. Does good anxiously talking towards his onscreen mother about their neighbor which looked impressive. A nice emotional moment with him talking towards his onscreen girlfriend about how he's changed and showing good guilty emotions while doing this. Plus shows energy with his struggling battles too. Great blocking and movements in a battle scene between his onscreen friend now a vampire and getting anxious trying to swing a weapon towards him. A great panicking reaction with him in a dance floor crying out. So he was up and down in his performance and can get better the more shows he performs in.
Colin Farrell (Jerry) defientely has a good hunky good looking build type of appeal in which he doesn't seem like your everyday vampire. This was a good thing except for his pale features. He shows a nice serious attitude to what he does as well as acting believeably charming too with his slick speaking. A nice moment with him by introducing himself in which he came across charming. He brings a great violent and evil energy into his role too and rolling in with the punches. A good friendly approach by him talking towards his fellow actor as well later on really getting slick and icy speaking towards this person discussing about being safe which he shows perfect style with this. There's even nice moments with him acting hesitant placing his feet close to the doorway of his house and showing great cautious reactions to all of this. Good blocking on him in another scene with an onscreen female victim by dragging her and biting her neck in which he shows a good hungry expression while biting her. Also a good firm speaking by him on an other end of a door when he tries to go into a home as this was dark and smoothly performed too. A nice smart aleck reaction on him after he's been shot speaking fresh towards his fellow actress about what bullets are for. I just thought he was perfect for the part and one of the best actors in this film having both the looks and talent.
Toni Collette
(Jane Brewster) seemed to bring alot of spunk into her role by having a young spirited and outgoing attitude as well as coming across nicely as a real estate businesswoman type with a no bullshit attitude too. She shows off alot of great energy into her role and comes across nicely portraying a parent too. Does well ggetting blunt with her onscreen son about his warning as she showed nice timing. She reacts well passing out and falling on a road which looked natural.
David Tennant (Peter Vincent) almost stole the film with his performance showing nonstop dynamic energy and also really knew his timing playing a primadonna entertainer with his stuck up cocky attitude and was fast paced with his speaking and doing many other things. A nice moment in a memorable scene with him by getting aggressive offstage from his show walking away in which this looked good and witty with his obnoxious attitude. He really knew this character from the back of his hand and had to tell ya I liked his performance here alot better than his portrayal in Doctor Who. He was a perfect choice for the role and wasn't an older type character like in the original. Definetely a nice change for a remake.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Ed) looked right for the role with his nerdy plump faced looks but sometimes is a little over the top whenever he acts wild and annoying. He seemed like a beginner in the acting field and needed alot of improvements with what he had to do and didn't seem to take his role too seriously. There's a great outrageous reaction on him in the hallway getting crazy and goofy towards his onscreen friend in which this looked nicely coached. Yet he seemed to do okay once turned into a geeky vampire. Yet it was nothing too spectacular.

Bloodied family members are revealed
Many bloodied neck bites
Stake driven through vampire's chest showing gruesome results
A neighbor blows up after revealing in sunlight
Vampire's arm is chopped off
A neck of a vampire is half cut off
Vampire's face is scarred by holy water
Vampire is badly effected by sunlight
Violent bloodsheds here and there

The music sounded very superb and quite updated for todays standards in which there's very powerful classical music especially for the beginning of the flick as it sounded dark and suitable on what was happening for this moment too. There's many great hissing and scraping noises for the real dark moments during a vampire stalking moments or events like this. There's even great high pitched violin music going very high pitched as this sounded terrically done too. All of this was composed by Ramin Djawadi

'Evil' Ed Thompson: I really hate to be the one to tell you this but that guy, your neighbor?
Charley Brewster: Jerry?
'Evil' Ed Thompson: Yeah, he's a vampire.
Charley Brewster: That is a terrible vampire name. Jerry?

'Evil' Ed Thompson: [to Mark] Haven't you got some sluts to go fuck?

Jerry Dandrige: Hey, guy. You've been watching me. I've been watching you. Your mom. There's a kind of neglect. Gives off a kind of scent. And your girl? She is ripe. It's on you to look out for them because there are a lot of bad people out there, Charlie.

Charley Brewster: [as house is burning to the ground] I thought you needed an invitation!
Jerry Dandrige: Don't need an invitation if there's no house.