Byzantium (2012)
The vampire myth formed when adolescent boys thought "what if monster, but sex?" Maybe that's just me. Of course, sex has been stigmatized as long as babies could inherit property, but on a primal level there's something about an attractive person inviting you into a dark space and sucking the life out of you. Again, maybe that's just me.
Neil Jordan's Byzantium updates his earlier work on Interview with a Vampire, telling the story of a vampire mother and daughter finding a place in the world. Clara (Gemma Arterton) and Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) are fleeing danger when they settle in a small seaside town at the hotel Byzantium, run by sad sack Noel (Daniel Mays). While Clara sets up a brothel in the hotel, Eleanor meets a young writer and begins telling their secrets.
As I said, this is a bent version of the Anne Rice tale. The romance of eternal life is squeezed out into sexual violence and domination at worst and transactional at best. The romantic aspirations of our characters are limited to lonely desperation and sadness. Sex links more to death in Byzantium than it does life. Prostitution is used as a form of slavery and liberation during Clara's life while storytelling and blood drinking go hand in hand as Ronan's two century old teenager understands her life and place in the world.
The vampire story needed some work. A vampire authority who gets to choose who is a "real" vampire or not is played out. Hell, if it was in a Twilight film, that's a sign you need to restructure some things. While this base level vampire society is dull, it does give room to shine a spotlight on character growth.
And boy is there some acting on display. This character piece elevates the entire affair. Ronan owns several silly lines, such as "only through time can I prove [my story]" when talking to someone who doubts her secret. Characters speak with archaic vernacular that fits their backstory. The kinds of things better said than read. Jordan chose well with his actors because the effect would have been maudlin otherwise.
Welcome back, flashback, another staple of vampire fiction. Well, immortal fiction, but same same. Through non sequential flashbacks, we learn Clara and Elanor's backstory. Rather than reflect on the situation they are in, the flashbacks are used to build characters. We see why Clara is ruthless and Elanor is lost. We see the violence done to them and how they became both justice and release.
Overall, a damn good watch. The film is shot with splashes of color among drab croppings like a carnival on a dark beach. All involved give it their best with highlights of Arterton and Rowan undeniable but also shout out to Daniel Mays poor Noel. Johnnie Lee Miller should do more villain roles as well.
If you like vampires, grab this one right now.