Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)

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Siskoid
I really wanted Vampires vs. the Bronx to be more like Attack the Block, but it's a little too tame for that, the kind of Halloween movie you can watch with older kids, but that isn't particularly interesting in terms of film making or story beats. What it has going for it is its theme. These kids are fighting gentrification of their neighborhood both literally (real estate is being bought up and destroying their hang-outs) and metaphorically (the white folk moving in are vampires), but the cleverness more or less stops at that crisp idea. Not to say the movie doesn't have its moments - the businesses announced as coming up are ridiculously white, and I like where the boys get their vampire primer from - I just wish it had more mystery. As it is, the vamps unambiguously make themselves known in the first scene, and they're always game to explain their plans when even only slightly rumbled. The fact that all the clichés about suckheads are true also prevents the movie from adding much to the lore, or surprising their tween slayers. It's fine, but in a damning way. 3 years 6 months ago