Karina Gonzalez
Manuel VeloriaAdam Taylor
“That cold ain’t the weather. That’s death approaching,” muttered the Stranger, piercing the eerie, blood-curdling silence.”30 Days of Night,” which was released nationwide Friday, delivers not only great lines, but also nonstop gore and spattering blood. In all of its 113 minutes, this film worked hard for the R rating. Modeling his film primarily after the successful 2002 comic of the same name, director David Slade seems to have successfully created a new style of vampire horror. Rather than regurgitating the over-done sexual innuendos and slow, cunning approach to killing, Slade’s bloodsuckers are really more like packs of hungry wolves who’d rather devour you than make small talk.The story takes place in Barrow, Alaska (shot in New Zealand), where the sun doesn’t rise for 30 days (realistically closer to 60), so in addition to these new and improved marauders, the film completely changes the rules with regard to what a vampire can and can’t do. Allotting them 30 days of darkness renders humans utterly helpless.And if the thought of being trapped in a remote town full of hungry vampires doesn’t give you the chills, the make-up and special effects certainly will. Our pale friends underwent a number of modifications this go-around. Among the changes, sunken black eyes, dreadfully sinister facial expressions and shark-like rows of teeth.Josh Hartnett delivers an outstanding performance as he plays the role of Sheriff Eben Oleson, the protagonist of the film who leads his terrified townspeople to safety. While it is commendable that the film so effectively captivates audiences’ attention, some background information on the vampires’ origins would have helped to round out the film.Even despite its flaws, however, “30 Days of Night” features enough great scares and red snow to make audiences scream for a sequel.Overall rating: B+