Christopher Webster [Celluloid 05.13.09] movie review horror drama



Year: 2008
Directors: Peter Pontikis
Writers: Peter Pontikis
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 5 out of 10

Vampyrer is a gritty and realistic urban drama that follows the nocturnal exploits of two vampire sisters, Vanja and Vera, as they troll the streets of Stockholm. Similar in execution to Tomas Alfredson's already classic, Let the Right One In, the film is heavy on realism and big on ideas but, unfortunately, just can't seem to pull it together in the story department. Also, for a film that wants to be a thriller it doesn't really have many thrills. Despite its meandering (and sort of boring) plot however, Vampyrer still manages to exploit vampire mythology to explore philosophical ideas about modern dislocation and living on the fringes in a unique way.


Vampyre takes place all in one night. It starts in a dingy underground club where we're introduced to Vera and Vanja, two sisters who also happen to be vampires - not that you'd know it to look at them. They sort of look like a couple of university grads who wandered into the wrong part of town. Of course, when one of them takes a biker as a would-be lover and drains him faster than you can say resis negative, you know that these girls can take care of themselves. What follows this kill is a night of wandering and running from the revenge seeking biker gang.

The biggest part of the story involves Vanja and Vera disagreeing on the idea of to trying and integrate into the "normal," human, population. Where Vera sees a life of mundane sameness, Vanja sees an opportunity to escape a nomadic and lonely lifestyle. Is this a metaphor for the decision every young adult must face. To become a yupie or not to become a yuppie? Maybe. I've heard the name Heidegger uttered in regards to this film as well. However, it could also just be a dramatic device used to create tension between the girls.

Vampyrer might not be the most exciting vampire film ever but as an fable about making tough life decisions it presents some interesting ideas. It also comes in at a running time of about 60 minutes so it at least knows not to overstay its welcome. Bottom line? Vamyrer is a well made film with an intriguing premise that's just not that engaging as entertainment.

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Peyman Javadi (11 years ago) Reply

The vampires in the Swedish film director Peter Pontikis are not quite as we know bloodsuckers otherwise. The two young ladies have no sharp teeth, nor any supernatural abilities. They all drink blood and are simply an outsider in society. If it was not the unique title, one might think it can perhaps be some other explanation for what exactly the two sisters could not quite be in order.

The English title of the film is Not Like Others, which somehow seems to fit better than the simple designation Vampyre. For the two sisters are not only presented atypically as vampires, they are characterized by their marginality as a "monster" characterized. The blood drinking is seen as only a side - the true enormity of their suffering and the reason is that they were not "normal", not as others are that they seem to have no place in the world and have to wander through the cold night. Vera is shown that only the murders, and then slicing each only men who threaten them tell us that the vampire ladies are also not necessarily described as evil. Rather threatening danger here in the form of dumb bikers that do not shake off, and - in their dark faceless helmets - with ominous droning engines seem to lurk behind every corner.

Vampyre is a vampire film that almost killed filming Vampirsein around. It is mainly about the relationship of the two sisters who died non-normal-being, but especially around the running away. The film has little action, go to the debates of the sisters regularly with the increasingly panicky flight from the bikers. In places sparkle to brilliant ideas, such as Vanya tries to prepare for a possible normal life, get used to regular food, you need the whole thing inevitably hochwürgen again. And the silent threat to the biker has a certain voltage potential, from which some would have to be made. At the latest after the sisters are running for the umpteenth time through the deserted streets, but even these pale finely nuanced moments. Return only relief is the fact that the film does not last longer than 75 minutes.

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