Movie Review - Fright Night (Why Even?!)

Movie Review – Fright Night

What do you get when you mix a bottle of Romanov, another of Blender’s Pride, a few Kingfisher draught cans with an impromptu plan for a 3D movie?

You get a cocktail.

A multitude of us infrequent drinkers always have the dream to watch one 3D movie, when high. We have this weird idea in our diluted minds that alcohol would surely make the 3D experience even more real-er, excuse my grammar. And hence I and a few fellow drinking friends made way for the midnight ‘Fright Night’ show.

The original Fright Night came out in 1985 and though it might not have been the best vampire movie, it had a nice balance between comedy and horror and a few iconic performances, with my personal favorite being Stephen Geoffrey’s as Evil Ed. The remake strives to emulate the original, while still managing to keep it independent and fun overall. In simple words – same premise, modern setting.

The movie sets up with the vampire Jerry (Colin Farrell) on a bloody rampage. It’s all weird camera angles and people dying and hiding and stuff, the kind of scenes which are maybe meant to be scary but in all probability just end up making you laugh like a drunken fool. Thing is we all were drunken fools so the movie did start on a high for us.

Ten minutes into the movie we are introduced to our protagonist Charley (Anton Yelchin), who is your typical pseudo-geek who has newfound fame in his community as he somehow has magically managed to hook up with the prettiest girl in college. This is what movies teach us these days – you get the hottest girl and you climb the top of the social ladder.

Anyway, Charley’s ex-friend Ed Lee (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) tried to convince him that his new neighbor, Jerry is a vampire. Charley discounts Ed’s warning but pretty soon realizes that Ed was right as the same night he discovers Jerry’s secret lair where he keep his victims. He tries to save one of the victims but when she steps out of Jerry’s house she just bursts into flame, implying that she was bitten. The explosion was fine and cool in 3D. From then on I was just waiting for more explosions to happen. And the blood and gore.

So by now Ed has become Evil Ed as Jerry has vampire-d him and Jerry finds out that Charley has found out that he is a vampire. It’s just a survival battle which includes a crazy car chase and multiple deaths with a lot of blood and gore. Nice 3D effects.

Charley does realize that this is a battle too big for a geeky ex-nerd like him so he tries to enlist the services of famed illusionist Peter Vincent (David Tennant) who is apprehensive when first approached but of course turns up at the precise moment when Charley’s doom is eminent.

I like the movie. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a silly movie. As silly as it gets. But the director (Craig Gillespie) manages to balance the fun and the horror to make sure you don’t end up regretting your decision to go for a late night show which is bound to result in you missing college attendance the subsequent day. Of Gillepie’s directorial ventures I have had the pleasure to view Mr. Woodcock which had the evergreen Billy Bob Thornton starring as Mr. Woodcock so I was acclimated already to the kind of cinema he makes. And that kind of cinema is just pure entertainment, nothing more… nothing less.

Colin Farrell seems to love his character as it is the classic vampire and not the glittery Romeo in love that the Twilight series has popularized. The vampire is supposed to be a pretty boy who at the same time is a bloodthirsty villain and Farrell plays it to boot.

Anton Yelchin does a good job as well, he is of the same breed of actors that belong to the Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera clan – social rejects with overtly exciting lives.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse does his own variant of the now historical Evil Ed role with a dash of his McLovin character from Superbad, which is memorable and humorous in his own right.

David Tennant as the larger than life illusionist is entertaining and the little character quirks that he introduces just add to the humor and silliness. His hot assistant bodes well with Tennant as she has the mouth of an experienced sailor.

The 3D is good and the script has tried to introduce as much as it can to do justice for the decision of post converting the film to 3D. It tends to get dark at times but is still viewable.

I suggest you watch this movie with your drinking buddies and if you tend to be someone who carries their brain to the movies… then be generous with the cocktails.

Oh no you didn't. 

*** - 3 Stars.

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