The Lost Boys

The Lost boys was always one of my favorites as a kid, and I just watched it again at 40. It's still pleasantly entertaining. The music is cool too.

There are many films about vampires, but one that is almost always remembered with a shy smile on the face is definitely "The Lost Boys". As one of the best remembered films of the 80s, this movie has become part of pop culture and a defining film for that period as it showcases most of what was cool or hip in that decade. While its status as "horror classic" has a lot to do with the nostalgic factor, it's an entertaining film on its own right and its modernization of the vampire myth along with its tongue in cheek humor still make for a charming and funny session of pure mindless entertainment.

The movie begins with Lucy Emerson (Dianne Wiest) as she moves to Santa Clara, California, with her two teenager sons, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) after a bitter divorce. In Santa Clara, Michael becomes involved with a local gang of bikers who have a dark and mysterious secret while Sam becomes friends with two weird boys who claim that the town is being invaded by vampires and its their mission to get rid of them. As Michael begins to act strange, Sam suspects that his brother has become one of the undead and begins to take his friends seriously.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, "The Lost Boys" is a movie that effectively combines a cool and attractive look with a simple but entertaining plot resulting in a successful and charming film. The story modernizes classic elements of the vampire myth and adapts it to its time with intelligence and definitely tongue in cheek humor. In fact, this self-aware comedy approach is what makes the film enjoyable, and it relies more on fun and laughs than in actual scares. The plot is rather simple, and lacks some character development, but it makes an interesting (although also quite simplistic) analogy between the troubles of youth and becoming a vampire.

Visually the movie looks great, although by now it has that dated nostalgic look of a past decade. Still, the flamboyant visual composition fits perfectly in the film's time and context and it is one of the films biggest assets. Schumacher's fluid and energetic camera-work makes the movie flow at with a nice rhythm and the movie never becomes dull or boring.

The cast is very effective and everyone makes a great job. Corey Haim is remarkably good and while he may not be a good actor, in this film he is perfect for the role of Sam. Jason Patric is less lucky and he is overshadowed by the very talented Kiefer Sutherland, who steals every scene with his charm and presence. Jami Gertz gives a somewhat forgettable performance but veterans Dianne Wiest and Edward Herrmann are both excellent in their roles and have some funny lines.

"The Lost Boys" suffers a lot from its own self-referential nature, it looks old and severely dated by now even when it's 20 years ago when it was released for the first time. The cleverly written plot is very entertaining, but somehow the lack of character development and the comedy take on the story make it to never reach its full potential. The premise is quite interesting but the "Lost Boys" theme is never fully explored leaving at a nice but a bit shallow experience.

Definitely most of the charm of "The Lost Boys" is due to nostalgia, as the movie is now basically a time capsule of the 80s. However, it is hard to deny that despite being what one would call a "popcorn movie", in its time it was an intelligent, original and fresh take on vampires. While it may not be a landmark of horror of a life-changing experience, "The Lost Boys" is one of those films that will definitely deliver what they promise: a healthy dose of mindless entertainment.

The premise of this movie is great. I love Santa Carla and how it portrays the "beach culture" and the "punk culture." If you want to see nostalgia for the 80s this is the movie to watch. The chemistry between the two main characters, Sam and Michael is great. The film blends comedy and horror perfectly. Kiefer Sunderland was great as the antagonist. It portrays teenage vampires as cool and not cheesy. There was also a little twist at the end which I thought worked.

The Lost Boys was fun!! I had no idea what to expect from this movie going in all I knew was it was a vampire movie.

Schumacher created a fun and vibrant little town and I enjoyed it, the movie was cast really well and this is what a vampire movie should feel like in my opinion.

The score and visuals hold up ! I really like the costumes too. I think the kids were definitely the show grabbers for me. They were funny and acted business as usual which I found entertaining too.

I found it odd that people were basically aware of the vampires and nothing was done about it

The movie isn't perfect but it is fun and I do recommend seeing it to judge for yourself.

I LOVE this movie! The Lost Boys is a movie I can sink my teeth into! Summary: Michael(Jason Patric)and Sam(Corey Haim)have just moved to Santa Carla, California with their mother(Dianne Wiest), and into the house of their lovable Grandpa(Barnard Hughes). During the nights in which they spend their time at an amusement park, Michael starts following an attractive girl named Star(Jami Gertz), and is introduced to her boyfriend, David(Kiefer Sutherland), and his gang of punks. Sam starts hanging out with Edgar(Corey Feldman) and Allen(Jamison Newlander)Frog who claim to be vampire hunters. Soon, odd things start happening at home with Michael, and no prizes to who guesses what's happening! The Lost Boys is an awesome vampire movie with cool flashes of the 80's, and an awesome soundtrack! 7/10.

Rated R for Vampire violence, language, and suggestive sexuality.