Dennis Gansel's WE ARE THE NIGHT
A movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
Vampires just wanna have fun
This tasty little film is a good antidote to wimpy vampire movies.
In Berlin a young female pickpocket falls in with a trio of stylish female vampires who are rich and run an exclusive dance club in an abandoned amusement park on the edge of town.
A young male cop is trailing the new vampire recruit and falls in love. Complications ensue. In due course we have extravagant shopping sprees, fancy sports cars, senseless murders, lots of walking on walls and ceilings, lots of blood shots and the eating of raw meat, non-reflection in mirrors, instant healing of bullet wounds, and the unpleasantness that direct sunlight causes on vampires. Some of my favorite scenes include:
- One vampire bites the dust while listening to her iPod.
- Lena’s transformation scene.
- Lady vampires hugging the ceiling.
- The explanation of why there are no male vampires around.
Overall, the style is noirish, garish, and decadent. The conflict faced by the young vampire recruit is not new — having to deal with the implications of giving up being human — but there is enough style, wit, and freshness in this film to greatly overcome the underlying familiarity of the vampire themes.
Review copyright (c) 2012 by Dennis D. McDonald
