Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: A recently single mother and her two sons move to the "murder capital of the world" and must contend with a gang of vampires.
Review: What do you get when you combine vampires, the two Coreys, and the 80s? Give up? You get cinema gold! Let me first address the things that don't work first, because this is one of those movies that sort of defined a generation and I love it. There are some questionable moments that can be forgiven understanding the era, but by today's standards are a joke (I'm looking at you pink pants/shirtless saxophone guy!). This movie is loaded with cheesy moments, but what 80s movie isn't? That's half the fun the majority of the time. And finally, I know some people are bugged by the ambiguity of the genre as it some times is too comedic to be scary and too scary to be a comedy or family horror; you do have to consider the two Coreys' fanbase at the time, but it all works for me. As for what this film has going for it: virtually everything else including that 80s magic I am always going on about! Unlike your stupid little "Twilight" shit, we have classic vampires with the many infamous weaknesses like garlic, holy water, wooden stake, etc. The entire approach to the vampires in this film are just the way I prefer them: evil, monstrous-looking, blood-sucking creatures of the night. The film does take the more modern-ish concept about drinking the blood of a vampire to turn you into one rather than the mere bite. This is an important plot point as the older brother, Michael, unknowingly drinks vampire blood. Michael, his wannbe girlfriend, and her brother (who looks like a girl) are all at this point where they have some vampiric abilities but won't completely turn until they drink someone's blood. This creates some interesting tension along with the introduction and aid of the Frog brothers who are self-proclaimed vampire killers. The Frog brothers are my favorite, and I especially love the classic montage scene of them and the little brother, Sam, gearing up to take on the vampires. Actually, any scene with the two Coreys talking to each other is great; that's Corey Haim and Corey Feldman in case you are still in the dark as to who I've been talking about all this time! All the actors do a fine job in this film as well with a special nod to Keifer Sutherland as the leader of the vampire gang. There are a lot of little nuances that truly enhance the tone of the film and most you won't even pick up on until a second (or more) viewing; for example, the awkwardness of the grandpa you brush off as him being weird, but you eventually realize he always knew about the vampires. The special effects are all pretty good, and there are some nice setpieces like the vampire's hideout. The pacing, action, and overall fun are as good as you could hope for. The ending even has a nice twist and the final shot ends on a comedic tone leaving you wishing for more. Unfortunately, we never did get a sequel until those laughable pieces of shit came out a couple years ago. In the end, this is a great movie only held back by some moments feeling dated and the genre confusion. If you're a fan of the Coreys, 80s movies, comedic horror, or just awesome movies, check this one out or rewatch it!
Notable Moment: When we think all the vampires are dead only to discover that Max was the head vampire all along.
Final Rating: 8.5/10
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