Featured Audience Ratings

• Joseph M

  
  Fright Night is a Highly enjoyable Vampire Flick with terrific performances from Colin Farrell as Vampire "Jerry" and David Tennant as Vampire slayer "Peter Vincent" Anton Yelchin's character is very unrealistic and always seems so composed and calm which… More
  Fright Night is a Highly enjoyable Vampire Flick with terrific performances from Colin Farrell as Vampire "Jerry" and David Tennant as Vampire slayer "Peter Vincent" Anton Yelchin's character is very unrealistic and always seems so composed and calm which takes the suspense away from the film sometimes. The Film also lacks in the SFX department but "Fright Night" is a Funny,Smart,Gory Remake of the 1985 Original Film.

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] While at first glance I dreaded a remake of the 1980's cult classic "Fright Night" to the belief that it would turn out to be as dull and dissapointing as the rest of the new wave of pointless… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] While at first glance I dreaded a remake of the 1980's cult classic "Fright Night" to the belief that it would turn out to be as dull and dissapointing as the rest of the new wave of pointless rehashes. That it would fail in all departments in living up to the original it possibly could. Due entirely to a lack of justification for it's very existence. It sort of does but sort of doesn't. But the fact of the matter is that the new Fright Night is surprisingly a very smart, very funny, very gory, fantastically entertaining horror comedy that gives you exactly what it is that you pay to see. Craig Gillespie was right to choose Colin Farrell as the menacing and silently blood thirsty bad guy. There's no exception in that all the performances are great and are arguably the most entertaining aspects of the film. Christopher Mintz-Plasse has fun with his usual shtick although lowers it down slightly in tone, as he recieves a role in which he can lash out angrily despite not reaching the comedic and scary heights of his brilliant role in Kick-Ass. David Tennant however, is the ultimate harbinger of tear dripping, laugh out loud hilarity. If it was up to me I would be casting him in every single upcoming horror comedy simply because he is an energetic master of comedy. He get's a very raunchy and sweary role in this and i'm glad that it happened. The gore, the main attraction besides the actors, is also very good. Overall, the film is not as blood soaked as I wanted it to be but it managed to make up for it with some impressive moments of genuine suspense and panic. It's also very stylistically filmed featuring some dark and murky yet beautiful cinematography. I'd say it's definitely directed with enough style to classify it as a cut above the usual horror flick production stable. However even as it manages to tick all the boxes for light hearted, single viewing entertainment it is still incredibly unremarkable. But that's not a bad thing at all, it could have been a lot worse. Again it's in one ear and out the other. But while it lasts, it's absolutely terrific fun.

• Clintus M

  
  Featuring top-of-the-line frights, suspense, and even bursts of comedic wit; Fright Night is a sensational scare fest and a welcome change from what's passing for Vampire-themed entertainment these days. Colin Farrell displays an impressive swagger, but its never too much.… More
  Featuring top-of-the-line frights, suspense, and even bursts of comedic wit; Fright Night is a sensational scare fest and a welcome change from what's passing for Vampire-themed entertainment these days. Colin Farrell displays an impressive swagger, but its never too much. He's a superior vampire to the lovesick wimps in Twilight or The Vampire Diaries. Farrell plays a charming, cunning killer - closer to Lugosi, Frank Langella, or George Hamilton. I also liked the Charley character (Anton Yelchin); he's got enough backbone to carry himself through his vampire-killing quest .Charley's supposed friend Evil Ed (McLovin) is too hilarious to describe. Girlfriend Imogen Poots is believable and hot, and horror entertainer Peter Vincent, played by David Tennant, is fantastic. Fright Night certainly beats the pack of teen horrors movies lately. Infinitely better than the Twilight saga, it even manages a clever put-down of that teen angst fest. Well-shot and directed (Las Vegas locale an inspired touch), if you'll forgive my cliché, this movie is wickedly funny

• Chris M

  
  Of course its nowhere near the awesomeness of the original, but it still has an energy of its own that makes it an enjoyable flick that plays by the old school vampire rules. Sure I may have some biased based upon the fact that I'm comparing this film to the original, but it is… More
  Of course its nowhere near the awesomeness of the original, but it still has an energy of its own that makes it an enjoyable flick that plays by the old school vampire rules. Sure I may have some biased based upon the fact that I'm comparing this film to the original, but it is still good for a viewing.

• Tired of P

  
  Directed by Craig Gillespie, Albuquerque Studios, 2011, Starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelcin, Toni Collette, David Tennant and Imogen Poots. Genre: Comedy, Horror Question: Do you ever decide that you want to conquer your fears because you are tired of being so scared? Well, let… More
  Directed by Craig Gillespie, Albuquerque Studios, 2011, Starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelcin, Toni Collette, David Tennant and Imogen Poots. Genre: Comedy, Horror Question: Do you ever decide that you want to conquer your fears because you are tired of being so scared? Well, let me tell you I just tried facing my fear of horror movies with Fright Night today. It was a bad idea - a very bad idea. I should tell you I saw the original and didn't find that one all that scary and I love a good vampire story (and Colin Farrell as a vampire - I mean, come on!). So I was kind of thinking I could handle this one, no problem. Well, I was wrong - very, very wrong. However, it wasn't so much the movie that scared me but what led up to it. It sort of made me rethink the whole conquering fear thingy. First, I show up to the theatre thinking it starts at 10:45am. I wanted that show because that was the only one that wasn't 3D. But when I get there the first showing wasn't until 11:00am and it was 3D. Damn! Fine... So, then I get into the theatre and take my seat and realized I didn't have my headphones. I usually sit in the theatre and listen to my IPod so as to block out others and avoid hearing the previews. Damn! Previews start and here is where the chicken that I am starts to take a hold... The first preview is The Thing where the lead character's name was Kate. I remember John Carpenter's version and that one scared me to tears but the "Kate" thing started my heart pounding a little. Next preview: Paranormal Activity 3 starts with two little girls where the oldest girl is called Katie. Ummm, perhaps I should mention now that my name is Katy. Alright, still having to listen to (and sometimes peek at) the previews with eerily haunting music playing, people screaming or calling for help, and then hearing my name a few times I started to panic a little. However, I really started freaking out when I realized I was the only one in the entire theatre. My heart started pounding more, my legs soon curled up to my chest and I started wanting my stuffed animal from my youth, Herman the whale. And the movie hadn't even started yet. Next preview: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark starring Katie Holmes. Really!! Next preview was for Straw Dogs starring Kate Bosworth. I AM NOT KIDDING!! Yes, I am actually freaking out because every horror movie preview they are showing has my name or a variation of my name somehow connected to the film. That was just too coincidental for my taste. Luckily, the next preview was for Harold and Kumar with some Christmas movie, and I am thoroughly glad I had not taken what they usually take or the paranoia would have be at an all time high (sorry for the pun). I started to relax after the last preview but then there was another preview. Dam...oh wait, it is for a vampire movie. I don't mind those. It was for Underworld Awakening, but then I remembered who stars in that series... let's say it together... Kate Beckinsale! Alright, enough of the Kates and Katies but that one I will see. I loved the first Underworld so I was happy at that moment. However, just when I thought it was safe...a summer teenage movie preview started and there was a lake...oh, and by this point we, I mean, I had to put on the 3D glasses...where was I? Oh yeah, there was a lake and...sharks! Shark Night 3D. Seriously!? Did I ever mention that I don't go in the ocean anymore? I was done and completely terrified by that point. No headphones, all the horror movie previews with all the Kates/Katies, and I was all alone. Help me... I was supposed to talk about Fright Night wasn't I? Well, I sat through the movie, giggled a little, enjoyed seeing Colin Farrell almost shirtless, and watched some decent acting through a campy story all while my heart was racing because the majority of the movie is set in the dark. Remember I said I was all alone and now in a dark theatre with plenty of blood and guts seemingly beaming right out of the screen towards me? This may be the dumbest idea I have ever had. At least I knew how it was going to end. Trust me I kept praying for it to end because I really needed to go to the bathroom but was too chicken to stand up and walk out. The 3D effects were not needed at all but one got me. Damn! Now I might need to find Herman and sleep with him tonight. Anyway, all-in-all it was a tolerable movie. It probably wasn't all that scary but I think I was just set up to be a tiny bit more scared than most. I did enjoy a surprise or two and there was one 10 second moment where I wouldn't have run away either from the vampire (Mr. Colin Farrell). Y'all will just have to see the movie to figure that one out. Now for the end of the movie: The credits come on but the theatre remains dark and I can't stand up. It's too dark and the after-effects of the last two hours have a strong hold on me. And let me tell you my Iphone does not have a very bright screen. So, I sat there until the lights came on and almost ran out into the sunlight...Yep, I am a chicken and I will not being seeing another horror movie in the theatre for a long, long time. So, what did I learn today about conquering fears? Well, it sucks and I think I need to change my name. My favorite thing: I am at a loss for words on that one. My least favorite thing: That I will probably be sleeping with Herman tonight. Rating: R Length: 106 minutes Review: 4 out of 10

• MisterYoda ?

  
  four stars!!

• Alexis N

  
  I didn't hate it, but it wasn't as good as the original .

• Sergio G

  
  I like this movie in the 80's. Yeah it was absurd and funny as hell, so I was expecting something similar and not really. Colin is a great actor and this boy Anton also impress me a few times in the past. But the movie is not what I was expecting.

• Nate Z

  
  Horror is a genre that's been notoriously cannibalistic, especially as of late. I don't mean flesh-eating, I mean the glut of remakes that has polluted the horror market in recent years. After remakes of Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the Thirteenth, The Hills… More
  Horror is a genre that's been notoriously cannibalistic, especially as of late. I don't mean flesh-eating, I mean the glut of remakes that has polluted the horror market in recent years. After remakes of Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the Thirteenth, The Hills Have Eyes, House of Wax, Prom Night, My Bloody Valentine, The Amityville Horror, The Fog, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas, Sorority Row, Dawn of the Dead, The Crazies, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, I Spit on Your Grave, Last House on the Left, The Thing, and scads more, you'd be forgiven for believing that the remake of 1985's Fright Night would be another soulless cash grab. It turns out that it's way better than even the original and quite an entertaining movie that got lost in the shuffle. In a quiet little suburb outside Las Vegas, students are going missing. Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) suspects that there is a vampire in town. Ed's former friend, Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin), dismisses this idea, especially since the would-be vampire in question is his new neighbor, Jerry (Colin Farrell), a home construction worker who seems to work at night mostly. But lo and behold, after Ed goes missing, Charley concludes that his old friend was right all along. Jerry has his eyes set on Charley's single realtor mom, Jane (Toni Colette), and maybe even Charlie's sprightly girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots). The only ally Charley can muster is a drunken Vegas magician in the Criss Angel tradition. Peter Vincent (David Tennant) has been studying vampires for years due to his tragic personal connection to vampires, notably Jerry. Fright Night finds that horror sweet spot, equal parts scary and funny. Credit screenwriter Marti Noxon who cut her teeth on TV's seminal show (yeah, I said it) Buffy the Vampire Slayer; there's even a reference to a "Scooby gang" for we Buffy fans. Noxon does a terrific job of establishing a suspenseful situation and then developing it nicely, teasing it out. There's a sequence where Charley is trying to rescue a neighbor lady that just involves a series of hiding places but uses a simple setup of ducking around corners so well. When our plucky protagonist checks in with Vincent for some assistance, we're introduced to an array of exotic vampire-hunting weapons and artifacts that the Vegas magician has under glass. With a setup like that, you better believe we're going to be using those weapons later, and how. The character development is richer than most teens-battle-monster genre films. The relationship between Charley and Ed, and the awkwardness and resentment of two friends growing apart, feels rather believable even dropped into the middle of a vampire adventure. The standard girlfriend role is given a bit more weight, as she's the one who feels confidant and aggressive. She knows what she wants, and as played by the adorably named Imogen Poots (Solitary Man), you want to be what she wants. Seriously, this actress is striking in her Grecian features and I like a woman who knows how to handle a mace. There are also small touches that I really enjoyed that helped round out the movie. At one moment, a woman is being feed on by Jerry and she spots Charley hiding behind a door. Rather than cry out for help, she carefully draws a shaking finger to her mouth, wishing him to keep quiet and not to save her. The resolution of this rescue attempt is shocking in all the right ways. It's a surprise that feels completely within reason, and organic twists and turns are always the most satisfying. Noxon's script continually surprises even when it starts to follow a by-the-numbers plot. Instead of an axe lopping off a vampire's head, it just goes about halfway through thanks to the rigidity of bone. That's a nice touch, but then when that same vampire tries to bite our hero and can't move his fairly severed neck closer, then that's when Noxon has capitalized on her cleverness. And she capitalizes often enough for Fright Night to be a real step above most vampire action flicks. Noxon also finds clever spins on vampire mythos; to get around the whole can't-enter-without-an-invitation rule, Jerry just attempts to blow up the Brewster's home to drive them out ("Don't need an invitation if there's no house"). There's a particularly ingenious method to light a vampire on fire. And the entire character of Peter Vincent, played brilliantly by Dr. Who actor David Tennant, is a hoot and a great addition. He's a riot as a cynical, profane, and selfish stage performer. His character is such an enjoyably comic foil, and Tennant plays him with aplomb, that you almost wish for a Peter Vincent spinoff movie. Director Craig Gillespie shows that he is shocking adept when it comes to staging a horror film. I would not have expected this level of competency from the director of Lars and the Real Girl. It embraces its R-rating and the bloodshed is plentiful though the gore is restrained. Gillespie draws out scenes with judicious editing, letting the dread build steadily. The tension of something simple like Jerry standing in a doorway, waiting for any verbal slipup to come inside, can be terrific. Gillespie also has some nifty visual tricks up his sleeve to complement Noxon's crafty screenplay. There's one scene where Jerry walks into a hotel lobby and is confronted by a security guard. The camera pans over a series of security monitors that do not pick up Jerry. Then in the background we see Jerry hurl the guard to the ground to bite him and in the foreground we see the security footage minus Jerry. There's an ongoing tracking shot inside a fleeing minivan that's not exactly Children of Men but still a good way to feel the fever of panic. The final showdown between Charley and Vincent versus Jerry is suitably climactic and rewarding, nicely tying back elements that were introduced earlier and giving Poots an opportunity to vamp out, literally and figuratively. Farrell (Horrible Bosses) is a charming, sexy, alluring menace as Jerry, which is exactly what you'd want in a vampire (sorry Twilight fans). Vampires are supposed to be seductive; they're inherently sexual, what with all that biting and sucking and sharing of body fluids. If Jerry is going to be dangerous, he also has to be seductive, and Farrell is exactly that. With his swaggering walk, with his pose-worthy stances, with his grins, he's a great ambassador for vampire kind. But this guy does more than preen; he's also a credible threat. He's the bad boy that is actually quite bad. Farrell's enjoyment of his villainous role is noticeable. Jerry taunts Vincent: "You have your mother's eyes." He shoots and misses the big bad vamp. "And your father's aim," he add, chillingly. Having a strong villain can do wonders for an action movie, and Jerry is a formidable foe played with great relish by Farrell. Not everything goes off without a hitch. The special effects can be dodgy at times, especially when Jerry goes into full CGI vampire face. The vampires tend to look like shark people, with long exaggerated jaws and rows of gnarly teeth. It's not a particularly good look. While Noxon's script excels in most areas, there is still enough dangling plot threads. Charley's mother is really never a figure of significance. Her potential romance of her neighbor/vampire is a storyline that is never capitalized upon, oddly enough. That seems like the kind of storyline you'd build a whole movie around. She's written out of the movie in hasty fashion, immediately going from a sequence of driving to being unconscious in a hospital bed. How did that happen exactly? After the Brewster house explodes, nobody seems to make a big deal out of this, like it's just some regular neighborhood occurrence. What kind of neighborhood watch is this? Fright Night is just a fun night out at the movies. It's got plenty of laughs thanks to Noxon's clever script, plenty of scares thanks to Gillespie, and plenty of sex appeal oozing from Farrell (though "sex appeal" and "oozing" don't sound like an advisable linguistic match). It's not much more than a vampire action flick but it's a really good vampire action flick, clearly a cut above the dreck that usually just relies on its audience's understanding of genre convention to cover up for its shortcomings. There's no reason you cannot be a bad movie with this genre, and Fright Night is proof of that. Convincingly acted, cleverly staged, and surprisingly well-executed, this is one genre movie that hits the right vein. Nate's Grade: A-

• Mark W

  
  Yet another horror remake comes our way with this modern take on the 1985 original. Really though, all this latest one delivers is use of CGI that wasn't available in the 80's. Added to which, the special effects from the original were actually rather good, so ultimately,… More
  Yet another horror remake comes our way with this modern take on the 1985 original. Really though, all this latest one delivers is use of CGI that wasn't available in the 80's. Added to which, the special effects from the original were actually rather good, so ultimately, this is no improvement whatsoever. Charley Brewster's (Anton Yelchin) teenage life is going pretty well. He has a good relationship with his mother Jane (Toni Collette); Heâ(TM)s dating the gorgeous Amy (Imogen Poots), albeit at the expense of losing his geeky friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and is about to finish high school. But then he begins to suspect that new neighbour Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a vampire and enlists the help of 'vampire slayer' Peter Vincent (David Tennant), to protect himself and loved ones. Having the claustrophobic American suburbia as your setting, while sinister things are going on, is normally a winning concoction. It certainly looks this way, when we are introduced to our characters from the get go. However, we kind of know where the story is supposed to be heading yet it takes an age to get there. Too much time is spent on yapping and not enough on biting. It's no big secret that Farrell is the bloodsucking villain of the show but it seems to waste a lot of time reminding you of this, instead of letting his fangs loose. Like the original, the mixture of humour and horror is competently handled (most notably from Mintz-Plasse doing his "Superbad" schtick and Tennant in the mould of a leather clad, ball scratching Russell Brand) and the film does deliver some dark and threatening moments but overall, it has far too many lulls to fully grip. It's a bit of a stop and start affair. The performances are what (almost) keep the film's life from draining away. Farrell makes for an intriguing, brooding vampire, seemingly, relishing the role and Tennant adds some much needed zest to the proceedings. Wasting the talents of the wonderful Toni Collette is unforgivable though. Ultimately, it's a lacklustre affair that should appeal mainly to the "Twilight" generation of spotty-faced youths. There may be some biting involved here, but really, there's nothing to chew on.

• Mike S

  
  Nice to see a new vampire flick that doesn't involve any glitter or awkward teen angst. This is more like the ones we got in the 80's and 90's, where vampires do what vampires are supposed to, as in sucking blood and spawning terror, as opposed to just sucking.… More
  Nice to see a new vampire flick that doesn't involve any glitter or awkward teen angst. This is more like the ones we got in the 80's and 90's, where vampires do what vampires are supposed to, as in sucking blood and spawning terror, as opposed to just sucking. Pacing-wise, it's pretty draggy in the first half. Had it been like that for its entire length, it would have earned nothing more than a mediocre 3 stars. Luckily, however, it gets a lot better in the second act, where the action is kicked up into a gloriously bloody gore-fest. Great SFX as well, even if I wasn't too keen on the whole "monsterization" of the vamps. And by that I don't mean the way they are depicted as a race - for their are undoubtedly a bunch of evil bastards in this - but rather their physical transformations into over-the-top CGI freaks. A little more subtlety would definitely have been preferable. And altough creepy and suspenseful, I'm not sure it really deserves the title "Fright Night". Maybe I'm just jaded, but in my view, it was never any scary. A pretty entertaining film either way though, with dependable performances from the entire cast. Christopher Mintz-Plasse in particular is very fun as the typical nerd, who also happens to be a self-entitled vampire hunter. Sort of reminiscent of the movie <i>The Lost Boys</i>, except with more humor and better action. An optimal pick for Halloween, or if you're in the mood for a good horror-comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.

• jay n

  
  Messy remake is missing much of the goofy charm of the original which it substitutes with unnecessary gore. The cast can't be blamed even though none really share the chemistry that Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowell had in the first film. It's good to see Colin Farrell back… More
  Messy remake is missing much of the goofy charm of the original which it substitutes with unnecessary gore. The cast can't be blamed even though none really share the chemistry that Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowell had in the first film. It's good to see Colin Farrell back in a mainstream movie but the film is weak and Toni Collette is wasted.

• Luke B

  
  The original for me has no nostalgic value, as I only saw it a few months ago. But I absolutely adored it. This remake does exactly what I want from a remake. It keeps the core components, but makes enough changes to make it a different movie. The little changes make all the… More
  The original for me has no nostalgic value, as I only saw it a few months ago. But I absolutely adored it. This remake does exactly what I want from a remake. It keeps the core components, but makes enough changes to make it a different movie. The little changes make all the difference, and although I preferred everything in the original, this is a different film that I will check out again. Yelchin plays the lead role of a young man that eventually finds out his neighbour is a vampire. Farrell is the charming, sexy, and sinister vampire named Jerry. The tension heightens, but never as much as the original. I loved Farrell's portrayal, where he was truly threatening without ever really trying. However, he was also inexplicably aggressive. I'd imagine vampires would try and keep their heads down, but here Farrell doesn't exactly try and hide his vampiristic tendencies. He'll kill people in the street, or blow up a house. Tennant is a scene stealer as Peter Vincent, a clever update from his predecessor, but with some needless backstory. Tennant is the archetypal fake hero, that claims to be a slayer of the occult. But when his chance to prove his heroism comes to fruition, will he rise to the challenge? The humour and horror are well mixed together, with some scenes being particularly shocking, which is a great compliment for such a worn genre. It is also a very exciting action films at time. The car chase scene, shot in one continuous take is exhilirating and has a nice cameo too. Sometimes it has too much CGI, and more plotholes than I feel comfortable with. Nevertheless, this is a great entertaining film, with a sinister but not to serious vibe.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Imogen Poots, Toni Collette, Dave Franco, Grace Phipps, Reid Ewing Director: Craig Gillespie Summary: This update of the 1985 horror comedy focuses more on terror than laughs when teen Charley… More
  Cast: Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Imogen Poots, Toni Collette, Dave Franco, Grace Phipps, Reid Ewing Director: Craig Gillespie Summary: This update of the 1985 horror comedy focuses more on terror than laughs when teen Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) suspects that his new neighbor, the sinister Jerry Dandrige (Colin Farrell), is a vampire, and turns to a self-styled vampire expert, Peter Vincent (David Tennant), for help. Las Vegas magician Vincent proves useless, and it's up to Charley to save his mom, Jane (Toni Collette), and girlfriend, Amy, from the seductive bloodsucker. My Thoughts: "I had not planned on seeing this movie until I had seen the original, but I just couldn't help myself. I really enjoyed it. I didn't find it scary, but more funny and sometimes silly which I'm sure it's meant to be. I enjoyed all the performances and I thought Colin Farrell is definitely a hot vamp. He does justice to the charming yet lethal vampires. I very much enjoyed his performance. The film had some good creepy cat and mouse scenes. I am looking forward to seeing the original now to see how they differ or how they are much of the same. One I will be seeing again."

• Cynthia S

  
  Maybe if I wasn't such a big fan of the original, I would have liked this one better?? As a movie on it's own merits..it was almost enjoyable. As a remake, though,...I found it lacking. I especially missed the humorous quality. This one had it's occasional moments, but… More
  Maybe if I wasn't such a big fan of the original, I would have liked this one better?? As a movie on it's own merits..it was almost enjoyable. As a remake, though,...I found it lacking. I especially missed the humorous quality. This one had it's occasional moments, but not enough in my book. HOWEVER, the Peter Vincent character was a hoot! I'm not sure that I ever saw him before in anything, but I plan to look him up now. He was the main semi-enjoyable ingredient here. Otherwise, I was greatly disappointed. SIDENOTE: Colin Farrell never looked hotter! :)

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"You can't run from evil when it lives next door."</i> A remake of the 1985 original, teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) guesses that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Farrell) is a vampire responsible for a string of recent deaths. When no one he knows… More
  <i>"You can't run from evil when it lives next door."</i> A remake of the 1985 original, teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) guesses that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Farrell) is a vampire responsible for a string of recent deaths. When no one he knows believes him, he enlists Peter Vincent (Tennant), a self proclaimed vampire killer and Las Vegas magician, to help him take down Jerry. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Fright Night started off quite wobbly when it tried to establish its characters, jumping directly into the fray with Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) being too cool for his geeky best friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse in a stereotypical role) who suspects that Charley's new neighbor Jerry (Colin Farrell) is actually a vampire responsible for the many mysterious disappearances and deaths of their satellite town. Added into the female quotient for any vampire film, because sinking one's fangs into a long female neck is always deemed as sexy, are Toni Collette as Charley's mom who develops a crush on Jerry, as well as Imogen Poots who plays Charley's hot girlfriend Amy. It's the excellent visual effects that made this version of Fright Night work, while balancing a fairly engaging story with a light dose of comedy that made this a walk down memory lane of many past horror comedies that entertained without being too campy or silly. You can just about tell the deliberate attempts at 3D as well which centered mostly around blood splattering on screen, and for those donning the 3D glasses, blood splattering toward you by the bucketloads. And let's not forget its technical strengths as well, where a scene that will jump out and scream for your attention revolves literally around a car interior in one continuous, lengthy shot that serves as the highlight of the film for its intensity. David Tennant may add some unintentional comedic flair to his vampire slayer Peter Vincent character, but it is clearly the nemesis played by Colin Farrell which took the cake and stole everyone's thunder for his cool as cat portrayal of the undead. While the film became sort of an instructional manual on how to get rid of one in the final act, relying upon a number of artifacts both common and uncommon, Farrell plays the vampire with that perfect twinkle in the eye, with the screenplay by Marti Noxon kept close to classic vampire lore, such as the need to get invited to a home before a vampire can enter, steering clear of the recent Twilight nonsensical re-inventiveness of bloodsuckers who can survive in daylight, broods a lot and would rather start a family than to maintain an advantageous swinging single status. And that my friends, is what makes vampire films appealing, not metrosexual pretty boys with emotional issues. At its core the story's about a guy who has to once again turn toward and recognize his inner geekdom despite desperate and fairly successful attempts to have steered away from it, but ultimately has to look inward for strength to accomplish what would be impossible without a wealth of knowledge. Revenge of the nerd this is, and an entertaining, funny romp this updated Fright Night had turned out to be.

• Jameson W

  
  The surprise gem of the year. One of the best films of 2011! As good as the classic vampire film Let The Right One In. A must-see!

• Manu G

  
  You can't run from evil when it lives next door. Not a bad remake movie. I enjoyed it and it entertain me alot especially on the action scenes. Pretty good horror/comedy story and cast. A remake of the 1985 original, teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) guesses that his new… More
  You can't run from evil when it lives next door. Not a bad remake movie. I enjoyed it and it entertain me alot especially on the action scenes. Pretty good horror/comedy story and cast. A remake of the 1985 original, teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) guesses that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Farrell) is a vampire responsible for a string of recent deaths. When no one he knows believes him, he enlists Peter Vincent (Tennant), a self proclaimed vampire killer and Las Vegas magician, to help him take down Jerry.

• Melvin W

  
  'Evil' Ed Thompson: He's not brooding, or lovesick, he's the fucking shark from Jaws.  "You can't run from evil when it lives next door." Based purely on first impressions, as I have seen both the original and remake only once, I have to say I like… More
  'Evil' Ed Thompson: He's not brooding, or lovesick, he's the fucking shark from Jaws.  "You can't run from evil when it lives next door." Based purely on first impressions, as I have seen both the original and remake only once, I have to say I like the remake a little more than the original. It is much darker, not nearly as silly and I liked the cast much, much more. Fright Night is a very stylish and bloody(without elevating to gore porn) remake, which is probably one of the better horror remakes in recent years. I know a lot of people whine about their classics being remade, but when they are remade like this, there really is nothing to whine about.  A new neighbor moves in next door to Charlie Brewster and his mother. Charlie has just elevated his high school status. He used to be a nerd who hung out and played dress up with a kid named Ed. Now he is dating the hottest girl in school. He neglects his old friend Ed in order to hang out with a cooler group of people. One day Ed comes to Charlie and tells him that the new neighbor, Jerry, is a vampire. The film is extremely fun, just like the first one, but I like it even better because of Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell. Both of whom are a lot of fun to watch. I have no real complaints about this remake, which is odd because there is normally something to gripe about, no matter how small. It was respectful to the original, while updating it and changing some of the events of the plot. It didn't seem like an uninspired ripoff, money grabbing film. It seemed like everyone involved put in their best efforts and made a really good vampire movie. Hopefully, this will have a good effect on the waning Vampire genre. It seems like the genre is trying to come back, even while having to fight with the likes of Twilight. I especially enjoyed when the film even made fun of Twilight.  Fright Night is one of the better horror films to come out this year. It has just about everything we look for in a good horror film these days. It has great characters(because of the original, but great nonetheless), tons of violent, bloody images and cool, stylish direction. 

• A.D. V

  
  Utterly forgettable remade trash. Too much bad CG and 20 minutes too long. I'll stick to the original FAR superior film thank you.

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