FRIGHT NIGHT

Having dazzled critics with Lars and the Real Girl (the oddly poignant tale of a socially inept man who develops romantic feelings for an anatomically-correct sex doll), director Craig Gillespie naturally opted to follow-up his eccentric gem with…a totally rambunctious horror-comedy? What the…? Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) is a vampire-skeptic…that is, until the suave, yet predatory Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next-door. Desperate to prevent his mother (Toni Collette) and girlfriend (Imogen Poots) from falling prey to his neighbour’s insatiable bloodlust, Charley enlists the help of a celebrity occultist (David Tennant). Fright Night stumbles out of the gate with a hasty set-up, but Gillespie manages to restore some momentum with a genuinely-thrilling car-chase staged in the Las Vegas desert. Also, the cast have fun with the knowingly-camp material, especially Farrell, who gleefully chews the scenery. Unfortunately, when compared with the likes of True Blood or Let the Right One In, Gillespie’s first stab at genre filmmaking not only feels bloodless, but a little formulaic. Fright Night is a remake of Tom Holland’s 1985 film of the same name. (JH) ***