Vampire films are now a dime a dozen. So, how do you take a campy classic from the ‘80s and turn it into something fresh and modern? Actually, I’m not so sure, as I’ve never seen the original Fright Night. Feel free to chuck your tomatoes at me now. The remake has decided that everything new and improved must have eye-popping 3D, like everything else these days, but this is one of the few films where gimmicky shit flying at your face actually works. With the addition of some stellar performances by Colin Farrell and David Tennant (more on that in a bit) and great moments of humor, Fright Night is a great vampire flick that even this weenie (and ardent horror movie hater) enjoyed.

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Fright Night is the tale of Charlie (Anton Yelchin), who’s just recently become one of the cool kids by ditching his nerdy friend, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and hooking up with a hottie named Amy (Imogen Poots, feel free to giggle at her name). He and his mom (Toni Collette) live in a desolate subdivision on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where a handsome stranger named Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. The film is somewhat slow to jump directly into his plot, opting to first set up the spooky undertones of this creepy film.

Ed eventually coerces Charlie into peeking around the house of their friend who has suddenly gone missing. Ed informs his estranged friend that he believes that his friend was taken by a vampire—namely that hunky dude living next door to Charlie. While setting up this exposition, the writer (Marti Noxon of TV’s Buffy and the Vampire fame) sets up very funny exchanges at the expense of Twilight. Quelle horreur! Once we get right into the action, though, the mood shifts suddenly from campy and goofy to suspenseful and downright scary.

The 3D in Fright Night is used to spectacular effect. Blood gushes in our faces, embers flicker by, and arrows shoot straight at us. It’s like being on one of those cheesy rides at Universal Studios, but, you know, actually fun for an adult.

Yelchin and his teenage cohorts do a respectable job. I was neither here nor there about any of them, even though Yelchin is an actually decent actor. But, the entire movie belongs to Farrell, who looks like he’s having the best summer of his live with Fright Night quickly on the heels of his comedy tour de force in Horrible Bosses. His Jerry is understandably crazy, sexy, dangerous, mysterious, and intriguing all in one tight Henley T-shirt. He’s incredibly effective at both being a sexy hunk and a batshit intense vampire.

Not to be outshined, David Tennant pops up as a Vegas vampire expert/magician in the vein of Criss “Are You Ready?” Angel. Tennant, channeling both a douchier Criss Angel and Russell Brand, completely steals the movie in his chafing leather pants and glued on sideburns. He makes up for the only sluggish part of the film and gives the scary flick a much-needed upturn in the laughs once the suspense kicks in.

Again, I haven’t seen the original Fright Night, so I have no idea how it holds up to its predecessor, but what I can tell you that this remake is fun, gory, suspenseful, funny, and an all-around great time.

--Darcie Duttweiler