Most so-called “scary movies” forgo suspense in favor of blood and gore. Initially, “30 Days of Night” seemed different. The first ten minutes of the film very effectively built up a sense of dread, that something terrifying is coming to prey on the residents of Barrow, Alaska. Unfortunately, the suspense doesn’t last much beyond the first vampire attack; after that, it’s just one person after another having their throats ripped open.
After most of the town has become the main course, will a small group of citizens led by the local sheriff (Josh Hartnett) be able to survive until the sun comes up? It might not be so difficult under normal geographical circumstances, but as the film’s title suggests, night lasts for 30 days in Barrow. As the film wore on, I found myself caring less and less what happened to the last remaining residents; perhaps because the actors playing them didn’t give me any reason to care.
The best performance in the film is given by Danny Huston, an amazing actor, who plays the leader of the vampire troupe. It’s kind of sad when the most convincing character in a film has few lines in a non-human language, and spends most of the film screeching and attacking people. Special effects are used well to make the vampires look gruesome. But even Danny Huston and cool special effects can’t make up for the lack of suspense in “30 Days of Night.” This film is not approved by Dove because of the language and violence.
