30 Days of Night (2007)

- written May 2008

Summary: In the town of Barrow, Alaska, the sun disappears once a year for an entire month. The majority of the population takes off for more hospitable climates, leaving the Sheriff and a few residents as caretakers of the town. However on this last day of sun, some outsiders show up who really are concerned with taking over the town and they have the teeth to make it happen!           Overall: My biggest problems with the film are all factual and reality-based on nature. Frankly, there are no human settlements on earth within an area of the North or South Poles that are completely devoid of light for 100% of the time. Does it happen on Earth, yes. Where people live, no. However there are places on the planet where although light may be diminished, it can be seen. It refracts at such a sharp angle that you can still see outside but it’s not at the highest point in the sky. Nevertheless I was ok going with that because it sounds like an interesting idea if it could occur.           My biggest and most obvious criticism was the fact that although the film was supposed to take place in Alaska and we snow on the ground…the characters never appear to be cold. In Barrow, the temperature is below freezing from October into May. 6-7 months where the temperature is no higher than freezing!!!! And considering that the times of the year which experience a type of “24 hours of darkness” are in December, you can imagine how cold it must be outside. So…how come the first 45 minutes pass without anyone’s breath being seen as they talk?????? It’s 32 degrees F or lower and as such they should look cold…we should see their breath and frankly around the 55 minute mark, it magically shows up. But the evidence of cold temps should have existed the entire movie, without fail. Very disappointing you couldn’t have at least taken care of the easy stuff.           Another major complaint is the “30 days.” I agree the idea of the town needing to survive for 30 days is quit unique, quite original, and something fun to have played with. But after all the damage that the vamps do on the first day or 2, tell me what happens between long periods between day 7 and 18? We see no evidence of them scrounging for food, trying to escape, vamps trying to kill them, etc. It’s as if they simply told us the number day in order for us to believe 30 days passes. That’s it. There’s no visual evidence of it nor anything built in the story to convince us the time is ticking by. How come the vampires just let these few rogue survivors be. They can’t find ‘em? Highly doubt that!           The film leaves so much unexplained, I couldn’t even focus on whether or not this was a good vampire flick. There’s just way too many factual flaws the film just can’t survive them.           As for the ending...it’s silly and frankly, if that’s all that was needed, you could have just done that on day 2 and ended it there.           Skip it.           Comparison: Insomnia meets John Carpenter’s Vampires

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