DVD OF THE WEEK
CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT ****
Starring: John C Reilly, Chris Massoglia, Ken Watanabe Dir: Paul Weitz
Perhaps because of the school holidays I seem to have been deluged by fantasy films, or at least films starring fantasy creatures. And this – yet another crap vampire flick for kids I thought going in – was the pick of the bunch.
Based on (of course) a popular series of books which I haven't read, The Vampire's Assistant centres on teenage Darren Shan who, through a series of misadventures, hooks up with the eccentric inhabitants of a touring freak circus and becomes a 'half-vampire” courtesy of John C Reilly's vampire.
It turns out that there is some sort of war looming between (nice) vampires who have foresworn killing humans and (nasty) ones who still want to chow down on exposed necks. And, while I realise that this synopsis sounds fatuous at best, the execution is generally light and the many side characters – especially the 'freaks” who include Salma Hayek's bearded lady and Patrick Fugit's fish-boy – are entertaining.
Most of all the film has a great look to it and, unlike the bloodlessly po-faced likes of the Twilight series, does raise a few moments of genuine interest and tension. Reilly is possibly the weakest point, seemingly uncomfortable in the skin of his rather pompous vampire, and things go off the rails a bit at the end, as the film was too obviously intended to be the first of a series.
Despite that it's still a lot of fun; unfortunately – given its disappointing box-office take – we are unlikely to see further instalments.
Having been so rudely ignored in Troy, it's good to see the Greek gods making something of a comeback this year with Clash of the Titans and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (**). At least minotaurs and hydra make a change from orcs and trolls. But exactly when the rulers of Mount Olympus relocated to modern day America is but one of the many questions left unanswered in this shoddy guff. Here young Percy's mundane existence is changed somewhat upon discovering that his father is Poseidon and being tasked with recovering his uncle Zeus' lightening bolt before war breaks out amongst the gods. Even accepting the main premise, the story and dialogue are riddled with rampant stupidity, though it may be good for 10-year-old boys.
Alice in Wonderland (***) is a baffling sequel to the Alice stories we all know. Set when Alice is a late teen on the verge of an arranged marriage, it sees her again heading down the rabbit hole, this time to defeat the Jabberwocky and save a warring 'Underland” from the ravages of the Red Queen. The simple 'quest” story is little more than serviceable and the well-known Wonderland characters are a mixed bag: Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen) – fantastic; Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat) – excellent; Matt Lucas (The Tweedles) – irritating; Anne Hathaway (The White Queen) – awful; and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter – simply weird. Very weird.
Since it was his pet project and he nursed it through several directors, it is a real surprise that the weakest thing in The Wolfman (**) is the usually brilliant Benicio Del Torro. The film itself remains surprisingly true in tone to the classic early Lon Chaney Jr incarnations, meaning it is a 'serious” period piece and will not be to everyone's taste. But it is Benicio as the eponymous hirsute hero that really lets the side down, looking mannered, uncomfortable and never even vaguely English.
Australia's Spierig brothers did zombies in Undead and now turn to vampires for Daybreakers (***), a considerably bigger budget and more impressive effort, set in a dystopian future where vampires comprise most of the world's population. The first half – an examination of this world – is very good and helped by the likes of Ethan Hawke and Sam Neill. It is serious and atmospheric, imaginative and convincing. Then crazy Willem Defoe turns up and the film becomes a regular slash and stake vampire-fighting outing. Still OK, but it promised so much more…
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