Fright Night
Starring: Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Imogen Poots
Director: Craig Gillespie
Rating: 3.5/5
Ok so here we are at the end of summer and we are treated to yet another remake - can nobody is Hollywood come up with an original script?
Anyway despite my grumblings about remakes and such Fright Night is a good watch that gets the balance between horror and humour just right.
Senior Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all going on: he’s running with the popular crowd and dating the most coveted girl in his high school.
In fact, he’s so cool he’s even dissing his best friend. But trouble arrives when Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door.
He seems like a great guy at first, but there’s something not quite right - but everyone, including Charlie’s mom (Toni Collette), doesn’t notice.
After observing some very strange activity, Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on the neighbourhood.
Unable to convince anyone, Charlie has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself
It may be the younger stars the lead the cast but it is the older actors that really steal the show as both Colin Farrell and David Tennant are excellent.
It's an understated yet brilliant performance from Farrell as the cool, attractive next door neighbour - who is actually more likely to bite you than anything else - as he mixed charming with creepy quite brilliantly.
But it's Tennant's role that is perhaps most memorable as the boozy, foul mouthed vampire 'expert' Peter Vincent - who is forced to toughen up when vampires come calling for real.
Tennant is laugh out loud funny as he really does put his stamp on this role - great to see him grab a part like this with both hand; let's hope Hollywood sit up and take note!
Anton Yelchin is also excellent as the somewhat nerdy Charlie who is forced into action when he learns the truth about his next door neighbour.
He works well with both Tennant and Mintz-Plasse, shame we didn't see him have more onscreen time with the latter.
Sure it takes a little while to get going but once the truth is out and Charlie is on the run from Jerry the action comes thick and fast.
What's so great about the remake is the script is solid it blend, horror with comedy and both of the previous with action.
But despite all of this it never takes itself too seriously and it is a movie that you can have a couple of hours of fun with.
Quite why it is in 3D I have absolutely no idea as it brings absolutely nothing to the film - really what is wrong with 2D?
Fright Night is highly entertaining and a lot of fun and is exactly what we have come to expect from cinema at this time of year.
Fright Night is out now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Anton Yelchin