Stake Land

I was in the mood for a campy cheesy movie, saw this and though "Stake Land...perfect!"

I was wrong. Dead wrong.

This movie was incredibly well done and was instantly added to my list of rainy day movies.

If you haven't seen this you should.

Stake Land is a dark vision of a post-apocalyptic America that stands out in a sea of formulaic look-alikes. In director Jim Mickle's world, creatures who blur the line between vampires and zombies are creeping northward toward the Canadian border and eating everyone in their path. This is no typical genre film, though, as the real story unfolds slowly and deliberately with surprises at every turn.

Nick Damici is "Mister," vampire hunter and mentor to orphaned teen Martin (Connor Paolo) as they fight "the vamps" on their trek to New Eden, a monster-free zone where humanity has staked a claim. But darkness is the real enemy here, as they only come out at night, of course. Then there are the cult groups who see the plague as a golden opportunity to spread their own unique brands of oppression.

A veteran film crew member, this is Jim Mickle's second feature as a director. He co-wrote the script with Damici, who stars along with Paolo, Danielle Harris (Belle), Kelly McGillis (Sister), and Michael Cerveris (Jebedia Loven). The production team includes genre icon Larry Fessenden.

Utilizing mostly exterior shots, Stake Land's look is appropriately dreary, grimy, and gray. The cool color palette of blues and muted earth tones enhance the dullness of life in this dying landscape. Each new stop along the way seems to shout, "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." The viewer can almost smell the stench of death and feel the blood being drained, literally, from the victims' bodies. Ryan Samul's widescreen cinematography serves to punctuate the diminishing importance of the individual on this sad but still breathtaking landscape. Yes, there is still hope in them thar' hills.

The music masterfully matches the combination of horror and poignancy. Jeff Grace has composed a score that is a character unto itself. Like the best genre films, the soundtrack serves to telegraph only slightly the horrors to come without overpowering the narrative with heavy-handed cues.

Most of all, though, Stake Land is a character-driven coming-of-age tale. Mister is an effective father figure to Martin, whose past is a mystery but can be gleaned from the circumstances surrounding their unlikely relationship. Damici's Charles Bronson/Clint Eastwood works even in his slightly over-the-top characterization. Gruff yet tender when called for, violent yet gentle toward those he protects, Damici is pitch-perfect.

But it's Paolo's narration that leaves no doubt the story is being told from Martin's point of view. He struck me as someone to watch for in the midst of the darkness that is Snow Angels. In a film that is distinctly down, he provided most of the much-needed comic relief. He began his film career in Mystic River and played the young Alexander in the film of the same name. He's made nine feature films and numerous television appearances since the age of 12, including two highly acclaimed episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Paolo is perhaps best known as Eric on Fox's hit television show Gossip Girl.

This is clearly his biggest role to date and he's on screen from start to finish. Paolo is the heart and soul of Stake Land. Despite his growing attachment to Mister and increasingly violent encounters with the antagonists, his innocence and vulnerability are never abandoned. The film works largely because his performance is so authentic. With Stake Land, Paolo firmly plants his flag as a young leading man on the cinematic landscape.

Take The Road, I Am Legend, The Karate Kid, and The Forbidden Kingdom and put George Romero at the helm and you have Stake Land, a truly original horror film -- no small achievement in a genre that's currently populating local cinemas. Don't miss it. Its nightmarish images will stay in your mind long after the credits roll.

We're once again in a post-apocalypse scenario, except that, in this case, the Earth has been over-run by vampires, leading to the expected chaos and societal breakdown. Connor Paolo plays Martin, a young man whose family fall victim to the "vamps" early on; however, he's immediately rescued by a hardened character named only "Mister" (co-writer Nick Damici). "Mister", you see, has adjusted quite well to this Hell-on-Earth scenario, and is already an expert vampire killer. "Mister" and Martin hit the road, acquiring other travelling companions along the way. Their ultimate goal is to reach the fabled "New Eden", which is supposedly some sort of safe haven.

One has to give some credit to Damici and co-writer / editor / director Jim Mickle here. Instead of focusing exclusively on one gimmick or another (like gore), they actually give such things as story and character the highest priority. Everything else is just icing on the cake: the gore and vampire makeup are excellent, the location work is striking, the music by Jeff Grace simply beautiful. These are characters one can really care about, and should they happen to be victimized, it really hurts when they die. Mickle and company hit the ground running, just to make sure they have our attention, then give us a road movie where not a moment goes to waste.

Plus, the acting is generally better than you may expect, with some familiar faces (Danielle Harris, Kelly McGillis, Sean Nelson) rounding out the principal group of characters who join "Mister" and Martin on the journey. Michael Cerveris is superb as an intimidating "prophet" leading a group of thugs known as The Brotherhood. This group has come to prominence in more rural areas. Paolo is appealing as the kid who will have to grow up quickly, while Damici has definite presence and makes the most out of a badass role.

This is one worth seeking out for dedicated genre fans.

Followed by a series of televised prequel-shorts for principal characters, and a sequel.

Eight out of 10.

"Stake Land" is a thought-provoking and well-executed vampire film that offers a fresh take on the genre. With its strong performances, atmospheric cinematography, and a compelling blend of genres, the movie stands out as a notable entry in the post-apocalyptic and horror genres. If you enjoy character-driven stories set in dystopian settings, "Stake Land" is definitely worth a watch.

The film's atmosphere is bleak and haunting, capturing a sense of desolation and hopelessness. The cinematography effectively captures the desolate landscapes, abandoned towns, and darkened forests, further enhancing the post-apocalyptic atmosphere. The sparse use of music and sound design contributes to the overall sense of unease, creating a tense and foreboding ambiance throughout the film.

Ever since the success of 28 Days Later back in 2002, the post- apocalyptic genre of films has been a crowded market with its fair share of successes and failures. Notable releases such as The Road and Zombieland have been accompanied by such misfires as Doomsday and I Am Legend that, whilst entertaining, ultimately failed to hit their mark. Stakeland is a brave and accomplished entry in Jim Mickle's career, and although there are only a handful of original ideas throughout the film, the ideas taken from other movies are handled with enough skill that they serve only to enhance the overall viewing experience. It must be said, some of the director's own ideas are fantastic and show a great potential for the future - a future that the ragged band of survivors we follow throughout Stakeland may not be able to enjoy.

After our protagonist is saved from a disastrous situation which leaves him as the sole survivor of his family, he is taken under the wing of his rescuer; the elusive 'Mister', whose similarities to Whistler from Blade appear to be more than pure coincidence. Together,they embark on a road trip that tests them to their very limits as they encounter a whole host of dangers and struggle to survive whilst roaming throughout North America, picking up a number of travelling companions on the way.

In a storyline not too dissimilar to The Mist, some surviving factions of humans believe that God has sent the vampires to punish humanity and it is these that pose almost as much danger to our band of travellers as the dangerous breeds of vampire that stalk them. These cults are a welcome addition to the film, enhancing the aspect of danger and providing the basis for some of the film's more memorable moments in a standout scene where a supposedly safe town is assaulted from the air.

The initially nameless main character - played brilliantly by Connor Paolo (the spitting image of a young Colin Farrel) - has his life turned upside down at the start of the movie, however, we do not get to see how the whole world initially turned upside down, and the cause of the vampire's origins is rarely touched upon. His story is told through countless monologues that overlay the fantastic imagery of sparse vistas and urban decay, creating a sense of scale that is far beyond what we see on the screen. Whilst the other characters we meet do not have enough time to develop fully, they all play an essential part in the story, and although some scenes could have been far more powerful if the audience were affected by their plight, the suspense was enough to keep me on my edge of the seat throughout.

There are few scares to be found in Stakeland but the overall sense of foreboding doom and the generous helpings of violence and gore should please the majority of horror fans. Anyone with even a passing interest in post-apocalyptic films will definitely take a lot from Stakeland and although it is not quite a genre classic, it will certainly become a cult favourite in a few years time.

If you like this, you will love these:

The Road, 28 Days Later, Near Dark, The Signal