Nerds That Geek Movie Review: '30 Days of Night'

Written by Scott Edwards

As Halloween grows closer, I hope that everyone is getting their scary movies playing as this is the only time that it is allowed by the world to do so. I never let it stop, but I am kind of a horror junkie and there is so much out there that I need to catch up on. One of my favorite horror movie genres/monsters are vampires and there are plenty that will scare you and others that will just leave you shaking your head wondering why you ponied up the money to watch them. I try to steer clear of the latter, but I do catch them every once in a while but 30 Days of Night does not fall under this category at all.

In the small town of Barrow, Alaska, there is a time in the winter where the sun does not rise for thirty days. As many people cannot survive in the darkness for so long, there are a few that can weather it out and choose to stay. Most winters everything goes off without a hitch, but this winter a stranger has come to town and is throwing everyone off of their game. As all of the dogs in town have been killed, along with a large bundle of cell phones being stolen and burned, this stranger is the obviously the one to blame.

As Eben, the town sheriff starts to investigate the happenings, he finds out that his wife is in town and was going to leave without even stopping to talk to him. As Stella and Eben have been separated, neither has been the same since the split and all of their friends in town are hoping that they can work it out. When Stella’s car gets wrecked and she is not able to make it to the airport for the last flight out for the season, the two will have their chance to talk it out. But when the sun goes down for the last time for thirty days however, the two have a bigger challenge on their hands than just their personal problems.

A band of vampires appear in the town and start wreaking havoc in the streets. As these are only stories of legends, none of the remaining population of Barrow know what to think, or what to do to battle the threat. As people are picked off one by one in the streets, a group of survivors led by Eben find refuge in an attic and decide to wait out the attack until the sun comes back up. Knowing that they will not survive without any supplies becomes a larger issue and the group has to stock up for the long month they have to stay hidden from the bloodsucking threat that has infested their streets.

One of the better vampire tales out there in my opinion and let me tell you why. There is no romantic look at these beasts, they are there for one reason, blood. With a plan to kill, feed and burn the town down, there is nothing about the bloodsuckers that should make you want to give one a hug. They are down and dirty and that is the way the stories should go. With your love story between Eben and Stella, along with the survivors, it is also a great look at what a group could pull off if they really gave a damn about one another. The sacrifices that the group give are both great and selfless and that is something that makes this movie stick out in my mind. Stay Scared.

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