HallowScream - 30 Days of Night (2007)

          Hey guys, Chuck here, back with more HallowScream. Now, among the movies discussed in this year's HallowScream, we've discussed three of the Underworld films which, despite what many believe, is an original story and not based on a comic book. Today's movie, however, IS based on a comic book. 30 Days of Night, released in 2007 and directed by David Slade, was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. 

         The movie is set in the town of Barrow, Alaska (currently known as Utqiagvik, Alaska), which is getting ready for its annual polar night. Now, while the movie version of the polar night is only the span of thirty days, it actually lasts roughly sixty-six days in reality (going from November into January). Anyway, while most of the town's citizens are heading elsewhere during the polar night, a small handful of citizens stick around, including the local sheriff Eben Olsen, and his estranged wife Stella, who didn't make her flight out of Alaska. Now, on this particular polar night, the town finds itself the victim of an attack by a pack of vampires, led by Marlow. So, it's up to Eben, Stella, and several of their fellow townsfolk in Barrow to fend off the vampires and protect the town until the sun finally rises again. 

        Now, I'm pretty sure I have made it clear that I'm a huge fan of comic books and comic book movies. But, it might come as a surprise to some of you guys, but I have never read the 30 Days of Night comics before. Now, will I? Probably, one of these days. But, as of right now, I've yet to actually read the 30 Days of Night comics. 

        That being said, I absolutely love this movie. I like how it feels so isolated, and the people of this small town in Alaska have to rely on their own wits to fend off the vampires attacking their town is pretty neat. Also, despite being slightly toned down in terms of overall look, the vampires themselves are pretty accurate to what I've seen of some of the artwork in the comics. Jagged teeth, pale complexion, eyes completely black. These weren't the romanticized vampires we saw in things like Buffy, The Lost Boys, Underworld, Blade, or Interview with a Vampire. These vampires are something out of a nightmare. 

         The cast of the movie was really good. Josh Hartnett as Eben, Melissa George as Stella, Danny Huston as Marlowe, Ben Foster as The Stranger, were excellent as the four leads. The rest of the cast primarily consisted of fantastic character actors like Mark Boone Junior, Mark Rendall, Manu Bennett, Nathaniel Lees, Elizabeth Hawthorne, and so forth, and all of them are absolutely phenomenal. 

        Now, it should be noted that the movie does employ the use of shaky cam in certain moments. Now, I have lamented many times over the overuse of shaky cam as too distracting, but it can be used to add a sense of dread in a scene that needs it. And that's the means in which director David Slade employs shaky cam in 30 Days of Night, specifically in the scene of the final showdown between Eben and Marlowe. 

          Honestly, 30 Days of Night one of the better vampire movies of the 2000's, and I'm giving it a rating of 4.5/5. Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and HallowScream will be diving back into the world of Underworld with Underworld: Awakening.