Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) has a normal life. He has a wonderful mother (Toni Collette), a snarky, yet loving girlfriend, Amy (Imogen Poots) and enough of a reputation to classify himself as "under the radar". But things begin to get a little complicated when his rekindled friendship with an old friend, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), reveals that their friends turn up missing. All fingers point to Charley's new neighbor, Jerry (Colin Ferrel). There's just one thing: Jerry happens to be a vampire.

Fright Night is a remake of the 1985 horror-comedy classic of the same name. Having not seen the original, I was excited to see what a talented director, Craig Gillespie, and a wonderfully eclectic cast could do with the content given. And I've got to say, Gillespie and the crew have done something incredible here. Fright Night is a lot of fun. Being a horror film, it could have gone a number of ways. In most forms of entertainment, Jerry would be painted as a brooding vampire with human emotions and, more than likely, heartbreak. But Gillespie will have none of that. Jerry is a cold-blooded killer who never seems to wear anything but a wife beater and his sinister smirk. He is what originally brought fear to vampires: fear through seduction. It's something that hasn't been (appropriately) presented in quite some time. And boy, is it refreshing to see.

The acting is pretty top notch for everyone involved, too. Yelchin makes it very easy to root for Charley and proves himself as a leading man. Imogen Poots does a bang-up job as the female lead that is rarely shown next to the hero: A punk-rock, take no prisoners teenage girl.  Even Mintz-Plasse (More recognizably McLovin' of Superbad) shows that he isn't afraid of having an insane amount of fun. David Tennant of Doctor Who fame plays Peter Vincent, the Criss Angel-esque performer with a past of vampire encounters and he excels in every way imaginable. Vincent is a depressed drunk with a convincing swagger to prove otherwise who lends his services to Charley. But make no mistake, this is all Colin Ferrel's show. Ferrel transforms into Jerry and will no doubt earn some great credibility for this role. The glory in Jerry's character is that he is given little to no backstory and is introduced and showcased as a murderer and nothing else. At no point does he beg for understanding for what he has become. Much like Fright Night itself, Jerry is very relentless and unforgiving. With Fright Night and this summers Horrible Bosses, Ferrel has had one hell of a comeback this year. 

Craig Gillespie brings some great essentials to the table that aren't showcased enough in the mainstream horror genre. Stylishly, it's glorious. I'm not usually a fan of CG blood, but it's done on a cheese level of understanding. After all, Fright Night is about a vampire living next door. It's a wonderfully shot film, to boot. Enough to prove that Gillespie isn't just looking for a paycheck. But what really makes the film work is the human development and chemistry between each character. Every character meshes so well with each other: The playfulness of Amy and Ms. Brewster, the prolonged tension between two distanced friends. They all work so magnificently and bring a sense of reality to the plot of vampire hunting. Of course, Gillespie is no stranger to human emotion since he directed the 2007 Lars and The Real Girl, which is rich with wonderful characters and emotional performances. 

Fright Night is presenting itself in both 2D and 3D in theaters nationwide. The 3rd dimension for Fright Night was actually pretty enjoyable. In no way is it required for the story to be in 3D, even though some little gimmicks were thrown in for the cheese factor. But the layers work on a level that are well enough to get by for an hour and 46 minutes. The 3D isn't bad at all, just a little unnecessary. The extra charge for 3D may not be exactly what will compliment Fright Night in the long run. 

3D aside, Fright Night is some of the most fun I've had in theaters this year thanks to some wonderful performances and excellent direction. With Vampire Diaries and Twilight being the leading vampire outlets recently, it's incredibly relieving to find a vampire movie worth sinking your teeth into.