Review of Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) by Kevin M — 09 May 2015

Mood, setting, subtlety, and camerawork are what make Only Lovers Left Alive a memorable independent vampire story. The film is in constant darkness, the time a vampire would be awake, and calling the film dark both literally and aesthetically is an understatement.

It's a rarity to see a film with this kind of tone; Detroit and Tangier, Morocco are beautifully desolate and dimly lit throughout. Director Jim Jarmusch portrays the cities as if they were in an alternate reality, and it's worth watching for that alone.

The film is nicely shot as well, and makes Tilda Swinton walking down a dark alleyway look as cool as you could imagine. The vampire aspects of the script are very subtle, unlike most vampire tales. We're never shown anyone's neck being bitten, and there is no skin burning in the sun; these vampires have been alive for too many years to make such foolish mistakes.

"It's been 87 years [since we've seen my sister] Eve (Tilda Swinton) comments. The grunge-rock soundtrack supports the badass look of Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve, who sport dark shades and leather gloves in public.

The drawback is the extremely slow-burning pace. If you're looking for a deep, intricate script, you're looking in the wrong place. It's the vibe and the minute details that make Only Lovers Left Alive a cool vampire movie.