Vampyrer

I love the classic idea of vampires, the grand, cape-swirling children of the night. But I also really enjoy films that suggest that vampires are perfectly ordinary people you would pass in the street.

This Swedish vampire story deals with two sisters who make the mistake of killing and draining a key member of a biker gang (which could easily be seen as self defence as he was trying to rape one of them at the time). Suddenly our sympathies are with Vanja and Vera and the remaining bikers - the ordinary people - are very much the aggressors as they follow them relentlessly through streets and town centres.

This isn't an eventful film, but I get the impression it is deliberately low-key. It's just one event in the day-to-day (or night-to-night) existence of two vampires in the modern world, and as such it it worth watching - not least for the performances, which are excellent, and the night-time filming, which really puts over the loneliness and desolation the two sisters have to deal with.

In this terse indie effort by Peter Pontikis, Vera (Jenny Lampa) and Vanja (Ruth Vega Fernandez) are two sisters in a Swedish city who share a secret; they are vampires, although far from the kind we've become accustomed to in this age of "Twilight" and "True Blood." We do not find out much about them but are plunged straight into the story--on an evening when Vanja has promised to reveal a major life decision to Vera, a biker gang leader tries to molest Vera in a nightclub toilet and she kills him, sucking his blood. The sisters must run and try to stay one step ahead of the vengeful bikers, until a fateful confrontation.

Everything about the story is brief and understated. These vampires do not appear to be undead, have no super-powers--not even fangs--and are as vulnerable as anyone else. The fact that they live on human blood seems to be the only real difference between them and ordinary mortals, but that simply emphasizes HOW different that one thing makes them.

The locations are all real due to the low budget; rain, wind, etc., are all real and give this film a very immediate impact. The story leaves behind a simple, poignant feeling. Look out for an appearance by David Dencik, familiar from "Forbrydelsen," both "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" movies, and "Those Who Kill." The acting from both principals is excellent, and I give it a 9 only because of a few scripting decisions I don't agree with artistically. Still, one of the best films I've seen in a few years.