Salem's Lot
Salem's Lot
Ben Mears, a writer who spent part of his childhood in Jerusalem's Lot, Maine, also known as 'Salem's Lot, has returned after 25 years to write a book about the long-abandoned Marsten House, where he had a bad experience as a child. He soon discovers that an ancient evil has also come to town and is turning the residents into vampires. He vows to stop the plague of undead and save the town.
jackmeat reviewedOctober 23, 2024
My quick rating - 5.8/10. I’ve been anticipating the 2024 remake/reimagining of this flick for years, especially since one scene from the original 1979 mini-series still gives me chills to this day. The 2024 version captures the 1975 time period perfectly, but it doesn’t carry the same weight as the original or even the novel. I’d compare it to the 2004 Rob Lowe version since it’s decent but lacks the lasting impact that made the original a horror staple. The scene that haunted me in the 1979 version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1unHCE_Npw where the kid taps on the window with that eerie sound—was recreated here but didn’t even come close to the same level of creepiness. That moment in the original is so chilling, and this version just couldn’t replicate it. That said, there are some positives. The movie offers genuine scares, and the effects are solid. The acting is serviceable, but they skimped on character development and left out important backstories. While the movie keeps you rooting for the heroes, they always seem to jump to the correct conclusions way too easily. The pacing is rushed, especially the drive-in finale, which felt like it could’ve been much more impactful with a bit more time and care. Overall, this updated version is worth a watch, especially if you don’t have the book or the original mini-series to compare it to. However, for long-time fans, it might fall short of being memorable. In 44 years, I doubt I’ll remember much from this version.