30 Days of Night

The winter and snow favor the chilling atmosphere, and the cut-off city at the literal end of the world offers some surprises, but when it comes to the creatures of the night, the percentage of interest begins to dangerously decrease. Vampires are not vampires, but a pack of hungry zombies, clichés with suddenly agitated survivors get on your nerves, and even uncompromising bloodthirstiness eventually becomes almost annoying. The weak third star is saved for the town of Barrow by the likable central duo and a surprisingly stylish ending. (24/10/2010)

I liked Hard Candy, but 30 Days of Night almost took my breath away. Why almost? Because the ending was not very believable and the last scene doesn’t fit the film at all. But I have no complaints about the first half: perfect atmosphere, terrifying vampires, effective jump-scares, sharp axe… One of the best horror films of the year and a well deserved 85%. (24/12/2007)

I've always been terribly sceptical of vampire horror movies, and I can't recall a single one that has captivated me in any significant way. 30 Days of Night is the exception that proves the rule. What I mean by this is that if a good director and producer come together, concoct a spectacular and imaginative story, and surround everything with the tried and tested setting of a peaceful Nordic town, even an almost empty genre barrel can yield a great load of modern horror action. The film is not without a few unavoidable clichés and some scenes feel like a reunion with an old friend with a penchant for brutal violence, but otherwise David Slade has handled the premise really masterfully and this is definitely not a routine B-movie. Most of the credit, however, goes to the hideously looking vampires, who are truly frightening and probably one of the most successful horror villains since Snyder's Dawn of the Dead. The great romantic ending just underscores everything... 80% (02/09/2012)

David Slade high-fives Sam Raimi, takes a compelling comic book premise, makes us forget about his tragic first film, and serves up arguably the most impressive "A" horror hit of the season. After the ridiculous attempts over the last few years, when vampires were put into latex, etc., predators finally appear on the screen, finally giving us sheer terror. The work with the initial tension and the subsequent massacre is a perfect example of how to effectively build up not only the scene but the film as a whole. The two-hour runtime perhaps deserved more careful script treatment (the occasional lapse in logic or plot deafness), but the unpleasant chills make up for it. Josh Hartnett has finally become a man, the citizens of the backwoods throw out a sharp catchphrase here and there, and the ride with the milling machine is now part of the golden fund. And although horror history won't be radically rewritten via this film, a good few lines of it are sure to be memorable. If only for the fact that most of the people sitting in the movie theater only started eating their popcorn as they were leaving. (07/11/2007)

By coincidence, I read the original comic book today (I came across it unexpectedly in the bookshelf yesterday) and I must say that the movie is even better. An excellent atmosphere. I already knew that Slade was talented, based on his Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night just goes to prove it. The plot is simple, clever and reminds me of old, straight forward horrors that are all about survival. Hartnett rocks. Like, really. When I think back to when I was younger, I didn’t use like that kid. I can’t believe that now. Oh, and that sunset… (08/02/2008)