Charley Brewster’s nerd past comes back to haunt him when his former friend, Ed, turns up asking for his help in finding their childhood pal. Adam has apparently gone missing. Dismissing Ed’s concerns, Charley finally, albeit under threat of blackmail, goes along with Ed’s investigation. When Ed tells him that Jerry, Charley’s new neighbor, is a vampire, Charley thinks he’s crazed. Then Ed, too, vanishes without a trace. When he starts poking around, Charley uncovers the disturbing truth. With nowhere to turn, he enlists the aid of Peter Vincent, Las Vegas magician and self-proclaimed vampire killer.

Like most fans of the original, I was initially upset when I found out Fright Night was going to be remade. Why mess with a good thing, right? While this did not have the geeky charm of the original, this was a slicker, more high-octane vision that served up great f/x, great acting and smart dialogue. Colin Farrell (In Bruges, Horrible Bosses) is deliciously evil as Jerry the vampire. He torments Charley at every turn and revels in his savagery. He was completely monstrous and badass. He is what he is and has no regrets. This is not your tortured soul, turned by mistake, vampire.

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation) takes on William Ragsdale’s iconic role and gives Charley a little something extra. He walks the line between cool and nerd, trying to bury his geek past, but never quite succeeding. It’s these roots that he must ultimately turn to in order to defeat Jerry. Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later, V For Vendetta) is a huge, delightful surprise. Just like Amanda Bearse, her Amy is no slouch. She forces Charley to confide in her, to not handle things alone. I love how she went toe-to-toe with Jerry. A rockin’ horror film girlfriend standing against the monster, holla! The best part was how she accepts Charley as is, without trying to make him over.

Now for David Tennant (Doctor Who, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) as Peter Vincent. I absolutely loved Roddy McDowell in the role and I was reluctant to see how his character would be interpreted. I missed the charming, broken down actor who doesn’t believe, but I give props to Tennant for taking this role and making it his own. The reboot was definitely brasher, bolder and considerably more foul-mouthed. He also did not have the original’s money problems, being re-invented as a flashy Las Vegas magician. This was meh for me, but I loved how he was a survivor of an attack by Jerry and had to face down his family’s killer. Toni Collette (United States of Tara) was terrific as the newly christened Jane (no longer Judy) Brewster. She was a great mom, trying to hold it all together while navigating her son’s teenage angst. She had her own little battle with Jerry. Props to the strong women here who were not screamers and runners. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Kick-Ass) is freaking fantastic as Ed. He gives an emotional, earnest performance as the kid trying to find what happened to his childhood friend, then flips a 180 as Evil Ed, new-made vamp. He was geeky, yet menacing, loving his new-found powers, yet still having his same old awkward problems.

Marti Noxon, late of the Joss Whedon Buffyverse, wrote a thrilling re-imagining that while it certainly didn’t flip the genre, it did make for some really killer entertainment. She amped up Tom Holland’s original tale while leaving most of the core elements in place. Best thing was the cameo by the original Jerry himself, Chris Sarandon. I nearly stood and cheered. It did make me get a bit wistful for Roddy.

All in all this a terrific film that horror fans and old school Fright Night fans will like. It may not have the charm of its predecessor, but it certainly does not insult or ignore the source material. This is a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with some very cool bonus features. On the Blu-ray are 5 deleted and extended scenes which are all right, none of them add a whole lot to the overall film. The featurette with Peter Vincent, “Come Swim In My Mind” is very cool. I enjoyed it. There is also a spectacular piece called “How To Make A Funny Vampire Movie” that rocks as well as a blooper reel that’s good for some laughs. Kid Cudi’s uncensored “No One Believes Me” music video is included and worth a watch. I would definitely pick this for cool weekend entertainment.