Movie Review: VAMPS

Opting to go the Video-On-Demand route instead of being released in theaters is the vampire rom-com, Vamps.  This is the latest movie from Amy Heckerling, the director of Fast Times at Ridgemont High and writer/director of Clueless.  Heckerling re-unites with her Clueless star Alicia Silverstone in a very Cher-esque vampire role along with Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23).



Vamps is the tale of two single female vampires, Goody (Silverstone) who's been a vampire for over 200 years and her friend Stacy (Ritter) who's only been a vampire since the 1980's.  It follows their lives of going to the clubs and vampire awareness meetings at night and sleeping during the day.  During this time, Goody accidentally runs into old boyfriend Danny (Richard Lewis, Curb Your Enthusiasm), whose wife is near death and is astonished at how Goody looks 40 years later.  Stacy, meanwhile, develops a relationship with a young male named Joey Van Helsing (Dan Stevens), whose dad is THE Van Helsing (Wallace Shawn, The Princess Bride), not Hugh Jackman.

 While this movie looked and felt like more like a made for TV movie, Vamps was a surpringsly good time.  The casting was very good and had a lot of recognizable faces as the supporting cast in here, including Sigourney Weaver as their "stem" vampire, Cisserus, and Malcolm McDowell as Vlad Tepish.  Vamps could have used a higher budget as you can tell many corners are cut, especially in make-up and the CGI, especially that used in the final fight scene is hilariously atrocious.  While it's not over the top funny, there are some decent chuckles to be found.  Vamps is not nearly as good as Clueless but that's okay, it's still a fun romp that makes for an enjoyable movie experience at home.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.