
Graphic-Novel Noir Done Right !! - Downright Evil !!
Review created: 02/12/08(updated 02/12/08)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Director David Slade crams Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith's Unusual Graphic Novel through the Modern-Horror Grinder, falling back on flash cuts, audio screeches., and an abundance of gore. Amidst these jugernauts of atmospheric tricks., the story-concept remains powerfully strong.
Every Winter in Barrow, Alaska — the Northernmost Town in the United States — experiences a full month without sunlight. This year, an Army of Starving Savage Vampires descend on the Town to take advantage of the Natural Darkness. Local Sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) and his estranged wife, Stella (Melissa George), must put their differences aside long enough to try and protect Barrow and it's townsfolk.
The Night premise explains well, why Slade's film is so dark. Seemingly shot through a "Blue-Lens" Slade's film suffocates the audience with dread., and releases no mercy. The desolate frontier Town of Barrow makes for an incredible piece-set., and the ferocious blizzard that whips at the blood-thirsting Predators and their Prey is a "character" in and of itself.
Hartnett gives a truly solid performance; and Slade manages to drench shocks in with slow-building psychological fear. Ben Foster (though not the only reason) might be one of the biggest reasons to see '30 Days of Night'. The young actor is perfecting the Homicidal Maniac Role, practicing it in two other movies this year — see 'Alpha Dog' and '3:10 to Yuma'.
In '30 Days of Night', he plays a messenger who arrives in Barrow before the Vampires and tries to intimidate Hartnett's Sheriff with the Promise of Death. Foster drapes his lines with an accent that insipidly releases immediate tension.
While 'Sin City' & 'Shoot 'Em Up' have held the 5-Star Graphic Novel feel - 'Sin City' having truly set that 'Bar'., and 'Shoot 'Em Up' (while not itself a graphic novel but held that appeal)., following in it's steps., '30 Days of Night' I hold just 1-Star less than a Full-5. (It's hard to put this Graphic Novel transformation to Cinema Screen on Level with 'Sin-City'....or any other Graphic Novel up to 'Sin City' for that matter (though we can wait and see how "The Dark Knight" plays this season with Christian Bale & Heath Ledger - God Bless Ledger).
However, "DO NOT MISS" this frighteningly disturbing nightmare. It would have 5-stars., if I didn't feel obligated to hold it to 'Sin City' standards.
SEE THIS !!
Review ID: 10000000005621818

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