Yup... I did it... And much to my chagrin, I was absolutely won over. I still maintain that I will never see a Post-converted 3D movie, but when it comes to films specifically shot in 3D I'm not sure I will ever go back. Let's talk about the actual movie for a minute first, though. Fright Night is a remake of a campy horror flick from the 80's starring Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale (Who?! Oh! The Guy from Mannequin Two! Wait... this makes me gay, doesn't it?), Roddy McDowell, Amanda Bearse, and Stephen Geoffreys. Now, I'm not sure if back in 1985 this was considered a Star-Studded cast or not, because I was three years old, and honestly didn't see this movie until last year. Having seen it so recently, though, I feel like I'm in a good position to offer an opinion in regards to how good of a remake the new Fright Night really is. Because sometimes, a movie calls itself a remake but completely fails to live up to the awesomeness of the original film (See Death Race or Arthur).
In the case of Fright Night 3D, I have to say that the movie lives up to and even surpasses the original in almost every way. And you know, while the story holds up, I think the real reason this movie succeeds beyond the previous was the casting. While the three teen roles played by Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse could have been given to anyone and probably been equal or better than the originals, but the shoes of Sarandon and McDowell were big ones to fill. As such, in my opinion, the success of this movie was always going to rise and fall on the performances of Colin Farrell as the exceptionally creepy vampire Jerry, and David Tennant as the exceptionally ridiculous vampire expert Peter Vincent. Colin Farrell rose above and beyond my expectations by far. He was just as intimidating and simultaneously intriguing as Sarandon was in the role, brought took the vampiric lust for blood to a new level. Once you see Jerry in the new Fright Night, you'll never look at Edward seriously again. Jerry doesn't sparkle. He rips out your throat. He doesn't meet young girls in High School, he kills their families and drains them for dinner. And on the other end of the spectrum, Tennant plays Vincent as less of a complete and total fraud, and more as a subdued douche bag with a past he's been running from his entire life.
While Fright Night was a bit shorter than I would have liked (what movie isn't these days?) it was a perfect balance of story, acting, suspense, and 3D cinematography... which may have been the true star of the film, frankly. Having never seen a 3D movie before, I was a total nonbeliever until my week at Comic-Con last month. During my time at Hall H, I actually got to view some of the Fright Night footage with 3D glasses, and got my first taste at how a 3D camera can work with a normal movie. Set in a suburb of Las Vegas, there is nothing specific about the story of Fright Night that screams MUST BE 3D! But I think that's actually the point. Watching the movie, it was clear in the first 5 minutes that the role of 3D in Fright Night was to add texture and depth unlike anything I had ever experienced. Every scene I was pulled deeply in, even if there was little more than two teens making out on a bed going on. Every single time the camera panned left or right, or zoomed in or out, the world of the film came to life. While super HD makes movies seem "Real" in that it removes the film quality and makes it seem like you're watching real people in front of a camera, this 3D experience actually draws you in and makes you feel like you're there. One specific sequence you're riding along in a car, racing down a dark road at night, and as the actions in the scene take place, it's as if you're experiencing them along with the actors.
Really, it was quite surreal.
I would most definitely recommend this movie to anyone looking for a fun time. I'm not the type of person who puts a lot of weight in a movie being "Good" over "Entertaining" because in my book, if you have one, you have the other. If you can blow the extra money, though, I think it's a MUST SEE in 3D and you'd be doing yourself a serious disservice if you don't. It can be a bit bloody at parts, but if I could stomach it, anyone can, since everyone who knows me knows that I don't do gory horror movies.
I could go on and on about the similarities and differences, but the only thing about this movie that really matters, and that ever mattered to me, was the star. Conan. Played by Jason Momoa, a relative unknown who had me saying "I'm just going to wait and see" from the day I found out he was cast. And really, I would have waited, but Jason didn't let me. He went out and got cast as Khal Drogo in my new favorite show, Game of Thrones, and drew my attention, and raised my hopes. So when I walked into that movie today, I knew I would love or hate it based on Jason's performance and his performance alone. The story was solid, the cinematography was alright, the score was lackluster, the casting was slightly cliche (Ron Perlman playing a Ron Perlman role, Stephen Lang playing a Stephen Lang role, Rachel Nichols playing a Rachel Nichols role, Rose McGowan playing a Rose McGowan role...), but the movie was really entertaining for me because Jason Momoa was...the...MAN! I walked out of the theater with a full blown Man Crush. Momoa played Conan was an honorable brute who was as sharp of mind as the sword he wielded, but as hot-tempered as the forge that very blade was created in. He was an emotionally withdrawn warrior who you truly believed was capable of love, but too occupied with vengeance for that sort of nonsense. I feel that he really, perfectly nailed the role. If there is a Conan sequel, I'd love to see drunken Conan, droning on about the lamentations of the women, but there wasn't any place for that in this film. Oh and in case you were wondering... maybe the best sword work and choreography I've ever seen. The way Momoa wields that blade... flawless. Every time he was fighting, I was riveted.
So while I wouldn't say Conan is the must see that I'd say Fright Night 3D is, I still absolutely loved the movie, and walked out of the movie theater on an entertainment high. And more than that, I feel... reinvigorated. I feel... inspired. I think we all have something that moves us and inspires us in a way that nothing else can, and for me that's definitely movies. I know it seems a bit lame, because someone else's work is my inspiration, but really it's like art. Da Vinci's works still inspire people to this day. Two weeks, three tops, ad my life will finally be transitioning to what I need it to be, and when it does I'll finally be able to get inspiration when I need it. I'm super, super excited.
Anyway, if you got this far, I thank you because I definitely made this thing WAY longer than I expected it to. I hope my opinions help you when you choose whether you will or won't watch these movies though... I think you just should. :) Soon I'll be back on track with my Book Updates, but maybe I'll drop a little movie review here and there too, since I do love me some movies! Until then...
Dream Big,
Ian
