Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) and his mum (Toni Collete) have got a new neighbour called Jerry (Colin Farrell). Ever since Jerry moved in, local residents have gone missing. It’s also been about a year since Charley last spoke to his geeky best friend, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
You see, Charley is desperate to outgrow his nerdy roots. He got himself a girlfriend (Imogen Poots) and spends his days trying to befriend/impress the school’s dumb jocks. So when Ed starts making outlandish claims that Jerry is a vampire, Charley tries to distance himself even further. Ed then goes missing, causing Charley to believe Ed’s theory. The thing is, now nobody believes Charley.
Charley’s last hope is magician and vampire hunter, Peter Vincent (David Tennant). Now, I like David Tennant but if you’re going to cast Russell Brand in your remake, cast Russell Brand. Tennant plays the role brilliantly but be warned, he swears a lot. This isn’t one for the kids.
I’m a fan of the original so I approached this remake with a lot of trepidation. Unlike most remakes, this is entirely enjoyable. It’s faithful enough to the fun of the original whilst ramping up the tension and applying a modern spin. It’s got a good, strong cast, especially Farrel, who’s really intimidating as Jerry: he owns every scene he is in. The dialogue is sharp and witty and the movie is well-paced. Dare I say it – the acting is so much better in this than the original.
Release Date: 20 February 2012
2011 | 15 | 106 minutes | £13.99 (DVD)/£29.99 (Blu-ray)/£29.99 (3D Blu-ray)
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Colin Farrell, David Tennant, Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots
Special features:
*Gag Reel (unrated)
*Kid Cudi Music Video (uncensored version) – “No One Believes Me”
*Squid Man – Extended & Uncut
*Peter Vincent: Swim Inside My Mind
*The Official “How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie” Guide
*Frightful Facts & Terrifying Trivia
*5 Deleted Scenes with intros by Director Craig Gillepsie (Ride to School; *Neighborly; Once A Freak, Always A Freak; Midori & Kerosene; and Back at the Penthouse)