30 Days of Night: Dark Days is a 2010 American horror film directed by Ben Ketai and starring Kiele Sanchez, Rhys Coiro, and Diora Baird. The sequel to the 2007 film 30 Days of Night, the film follows a group of survivors in Los Angeles as they battle a group of vampires.
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Some praised the direction and acting, while others found the film to be too derivative of the first film. However, most agreed that the film was an improvement over its predecessor.
I actually quite liked the original 30 Days of Night, it’s perhaps one of the better vampire flicks I’ve seen in recent years, sporting solid production values and an original premise. I understand it’s not everybodies cup of tea though. Going into watching this sequel i was genuinely quite apprehensive about whether they would be able to do justice to the original. Well, to put it simply, i can say Dark Days is a better flick than i thought it would be, although it’s nowhere as good as the original. It doesn’t have the originality or the suspense that the first one had. Nor is the production quality quite as polished but it’s still pretty good.
Actress Kiele Sanchez is solid as Stella Oleson, it’s a shame Melissa George couldn’t reprise the role for continuity if nothing else, but still Kiele’s performance is good and she maintains the character well. All the other performers are decent also. Diora Baird makes a show as one of the vampire hunters, alongside Harold Perrineau of Lost fame.
I guess the main problem with Dark Days (if there is one) is it’s story. It’s just too light and nonsensical at times. I especially don’t like the ending, it seems pretty inconsistent with the Stella character in my humble opinion. This doesn’t degrade the quality of the suspense however and there are a few times during this movie where things can get suspenseful and tense, just don’t expect the same gut wrenching as the original.
Gore is there, sadly though nothing memorable of note. It’s a shame really cause there are a few bits that could have been really quite grizzly had they been fleshed out more. What’s there is done decently though considering this movie was made on a lower budget.
So, I’m gonna give Dark Days a thumbs up, but like i said before don’t expect the original again because it’s not the same. If you didn’t like the original then you’ll hate this most likely, you’ve been warned.
30 Days of Night: Dark Days is a solid sequel that improves upon the original in many ways. The acting is much better, the direction is more assured, and the film overall is more exciting. While it doesn’t bring anything new to the table, it is a well-made horror film that should please fans of the first film.
Synopsis
The 2010 American horror film 30 Days of Night: Dark Days is a sequel to the 2007 film 30 Days of Night. The film was directed by Ben Ketai and written by Brian Nelson. The film stars Kiele Sanchez, Rhys Coiro, Diora Baird, and Mia Kirshner. The film was released direct-to-video on October 5, 2010.
The film opens with a group of vampires attacking a small town in Alaska. The vampires kill everyone in the town, including the sheriff, Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett). Eben’s wife, Stella (Melissa George), is the only survivor.
The vampires then travel to Los Angeles, where they begin killing people and turning them into vampires. Stella, who has been tracking the vampires, arrives in Los Angeles and teams up with a group of vampire hunters. They eventually track the vampires to an abandoned movie studio, where they kill most of the vampires. The leader of the vampires, Lilith (Mia Kirshner), escapes.
Stella and the vampire hunters return to Alaska, where they plan to kill Lilith. However, Lilith arrives first and kills Eben. She then attacks Stella, but Stella is able to kill her. With Lilith dead, the vampires are destroyed and the town is saved.
Movie Details
Director: Ben Ketai
Writer: Ben Ketai and Steve Niles
Actors: Kiele Sanchez, Diora Baird, and Rhys Coiro
Release Year: 2010