Review of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) by Johnny T — 14 Mar 2011

Mixing horror and comedy while minimizing the gore, writer-director Paul Weitz (About a Boy) serves up a witty adventure fantasy with a tasty dollop of schadenfreude. John C. Reilly excels in a role I thought couldn't possibly be appropriate for him. It's a nice change of pace for this fine actor. Reilly is very funny as the sarcastic mentor, and director Paul Weitz strikes a loopy tone in the scenes at the freak encampment. There's plenty more going on in this artfully directed and fancifully acted anti-Twilight opening salvo, but suffice it to say that Weitz's film is simply the far more inventive and engrossing teen-vamp flick. A fun, energetic adventure with plenty of inoffensive ghoulish touches that should please kid and adult horror buffs alike.

VERDICT: "Full Price" - My second highest rating (Positive to Mixed reaction). This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent.