Review of Byzantium (2013) by Tamiya B — 06 Apr 2016

Neil Jordan made an art-house film about werewolves in Company of Wolves, turning the Red Riding Hood story into a darkly erotic gothic horror. He's tried to repeat the trick for vampires here, and nearly succeeded.

Over a fairly measured (slow?) 2 hours, he tells the tale of 2 female vampires, who are able to exist in sunlight, and blood-let as much through a fang-like nail as with the more traditional teeth. There are strong themes of men exploiting women for sex, and women getting their own back.

Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan are great in the leading roles, both vulnerable and defiant in their own way, but none of the supporting characters do very much to provide a strong counterpoint for their story, which means it can all flag, more than a little.

There are some excellent scenes and a lot of craft in the film-making, but it perhaps feels like less than the sum of its parts...