Horror movies – for the most part – are unoriginal. It’s not that filmmakers don’t make an effort to put a different spin on the genre, it’s just a chore to invent a new way to tell the same story. This is especially true when it comes to vampire flicks. You can make them young, like Twilight, or ancient, like Interview With the Vampire. You could go old school an repackage Bram Stoker, or new school like the Underworld movies. Making matters worse is the unbelievable popularity of vampire films. It’s great for box office, but challenging for writers searching for a fresh way to sell a bloodsucker script. 30 Days of Night is far from obscure, but it did slip out of theaters sooner than it should have. It stands out from the average vampire tale by taking advantage of a clever premise.

Welcome to Barrow, Alaska. A tiny northern hamlet located on the Arctic Circle. A month of darkness is descending on the town, forcing most of the residents to relocate. Before Sheriff Eben Oleson and his estranged wife Stella can leave, a stranger arrives, warning them someone is coming. As night falls, odd occurrences begin to plague the remaining townspeople. Dogs are killed and the power is cutoff. Someone has indeed arrived. That someone is a clan of blood hungry vampires. Let the feast commence! Eben, Stella and a small group of survivors seek shelter inside the attic of a house. Meanwhile, the remaining folk are slaughtered and eaten by the merciless gang of vamps. After weeks in hiding, the survivors venture outside to gather supplies. The blood suckers eagerly await a fresh meal. What follows is a human versus undead showdown that will leave few standing.

Sure, it’s another Night of the Living Dead clone, but the unique concept keeps things entertaining. Director David Slade doesn’t get cute. The amount of be-headings and gore will satisfy the most critical vampire aficionado. The movie isn’t particularly scary, but it does feature a fair share of suspense. Will anyone get out alive? Can they hold on until the sun rises? The twist ending fits well within the context of the story and seems plausible considering the nature of the genre. The vamps aren’t given much of a personality: they speak in a foreign tongue and their origin is a mystery. Where did they come from? How did they find out about the 30 days of darkness? It doesn’t really matter, but it would have made the story more interesting. As is, it’s your typical “vampires are here to destroy the world” plotline.

Josh Hartnett and Melissa George play the leads. They share some chemistry but not knowing the background of their marital difficulties makes them somewhat unsympathetic. I’d like to care more about them and their plight, but the characters are a little thin. But most of us don’t watch these kinds of films for in-depth characterizations. It’s all about action and blood. 30 Days of Night scores a bulls-eye in those departments. So, if you’ve been craving a good vampire movie with a different spin, 30 Days of Night should quell your longings.

The trailer for 30 Days of Night:

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