Fright Night (2011 version)

FRIGHT NIGHT (2011 version)

Considered on its own terms (with no thought of the original 1985 version), the remake of Fright Night is an entertaining vampire yarn that centers on high school student Charley Brewster (who has abandoned his geeky long-time friend Ed in order to broaden his horizons and date a gorgeous girl named Amy).  Ed informs Charley that he believes Jerry (the fellow who recently moved next door to the Brewster residence) is a vampire.  Charley brushes off Ed, who happens to be correct (as evidenced when Jerry drains Ed of his blood in a swimming pool).  When Ed goes missing, Charley searches Ed’s bedroom and finds video evidence that Jerry truly is an undead bloodsucker.  Jerry realizes that Charley knows what he is, and a brief unsubtle game of cat-and-mouse begins.  Charley attempts to persuade Amy and his single mom of Jerry’s true nature, and soon enough the two main women in Charley’s life witness Jerry in full-blown vampire action.  Charley seeks the help of Peter Vincent (a stage magician who puts on an elaborate Las Vegas show), who is reputed to be an expert on vampires.  Charley and Peter set out to destroy Jerry once and for all.

This remake of the 1985 Fright Night features a wild second half full of increasingly elaborate set pieces (Jerry blows up the Brewster home, Charley and Amy fight Jerry and the undead version of Ed in Peter Vincent’s headquarters which is stocked with an assortment of esoteric weapons, Charley and Peter confront Jerry and his vampire minions in Jerry’s lair).  My only complaint is that Charley accepts the existence of the undead without having a complete mental breakdown (if I found out that my neighbor drank blood and had an aversion to sunlight, I’d be bouncing off the rubber walls before too long).  If you can suspend your disbelief, set aside all thoughts of how excellent the original 1985 Fright Night is, and immerse yourself in the world of this 2011 project, you’ll likely have a rollicking good time (assuming horror films laced with dark humor are your cup of tea).  Screenwriter Marti Noxon and director Craig Gillespie have crafted a fine tale about a nasty predator and the suburban teenager who confronts and conquers him.  I love the original Fright Night and initially did not believe that a remake could be any good.  I was wrong.