Fans of the graphic novel and of the film 30 Days of Night are likely to be disappointed in the sequel 30 Days of Night: Dark Days. Everything that worked in the original film is not present in the sequel, which is astonishing, given that the sequel was co-written by none other than Steve Niles, the creator of the series. You would think that Mr. Niles would be an authority on his own creations, yes, but for some reason he simply loses control of his characters, instead resorting to formula and drawing inspiration from other sources instead of relying on his own proven—and fertile—imagination.
The film opens with a flashback to the ending of the first film, where Stella (this time played by Kiele Sanchez instead of Melissa George) watches as her husband Josh burns away under the morning sun. It has been a year since these events, and Stella spends her days trying to convince others that vampires were responsible for the horrible events that took place in Barrow, Alaska.
Ridiculed and sidelined, Stella nevertheless continues her work. What Stella does not know, however, is that the vampires have been tracking her, and that they have recruited an FBI agent by the name of Norris (Troy Ruptash) to silence her. Also on her trail are human vampire hunters who have also been victims of such vampire “nests.” Three of these hunters are waiting for her at her hotel. Paul (Rhys Coiro), Amber (Diora Baird), and Todd (Harold Perrineau) are on the trail of a nest led by Lilith (Mia Kirshner), a Madam Bathory type who enjoys bathing in blood. The three hunters are led by Dane (Ben Cotton), a vampire who has managed to retain some of his humanity. The vampire hunters convince a reluctant Stella to join them on tracking down and destroying Lilith and her nest.
Unlike 30 Days of Night, 30 Days of Night: Dark Days is a straightforward vampire film. It is a solid ride, given that so many modern vampire films are watered down and superficial. But 30 Days of Night: Dark Days is not a good film, given is predecessor, and for that many fans will likely turn away. Gone is the fantastic locale that gives the series its title. Instead, we are treated to conventional, cliché urban areas that deprive viewers the feelings of isolation and desperation of what feels like everlasting night and cold. Also gone are the alien qualities of the vampires. Instead, we are given goths who follow a Madam Bathory type. The first film’s vampires were feral creatures who existed on the outer rims of humanity. This time, the vampires are in the cities.
Characterization for this film is also weak. Very little is explored about the characters, and Stella herself is simply driven by revenge. Characters such as Lilith and Dane are interesting, principally because the actors who portray them do so very well, but they are simply outlined and are not developed any further. Emphasis is on action, which is all well and good, but there should have been some effort to flesh out plot and character. Perhaps the worst part of the movie is its ending, which I will not spoil here, expect to say that it is a groaner.
30 Days of Night: Dark Days comes with sparse extras, namely a filmmaker commentary, a featurette on the making of the movie, and various previews of other films. If you are interested in 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, I would rent a copy first before throwing down hard-earned cash on a DVD.
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