4) LOST BOYS: THE THIRST

Director: Dario Piana
Stars: Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander, Casey B. Dolan, Tanit Phoenix, Seb Castang, Felix Mosse, Steven van Niekirk, Joe Vaz
Year: 2010
Rating: R

While Corey Haim turned down a role in this second sequel to what is now seen as a classic teen vampire film, The Lost Boys, Lost Boys: The Thirst still in many ways rates above its predecessor, Lost Boys: The Tribe (see my review for that film here) by NOT taking itself as seriously. While The Tribe was not that bad (it definitely has its moments, as well as a couple of strong cast members), The Thirst is all about enjoying the ride, thanks to a slightly hammy performance by Corey Feldman that, here, makes the film that much more fun to watch.

As the film opens, vampire hunter Edgar Frog (Feldman) is pretty down on his luck. He lives in a trailer in San Cazador, California, a rundown coastal town, and is within thirty days of being evicted from his home. Even selling his precious comic book collection to the local comic book guy, or via his friend who works in the store, Zoe (Casey B. Dolan) - who puts the better ones up on eBay - simply isn't going to save his behind. He's also become somewhat estranged from his brother Alan (Jamison Newlander), and doesn't even hunt bloodsuckers anymore, thanks to that parting with his brother.

Which makes Edgar even more conflicted when best-selling romance-horror author Gwen Lieber (Tanit Phoenix) finds him in San Cazador, and begs Edgar to help her find her brother Peter. It seems there is a new breed of vampires on their way to the top, led by a handsome, enigmatic alpha vamp named DJ X (Seb Castang) - and these bloodsuckers are playing for keeps. DJ X and his crew are going around the country throwing underground rave parties, and at those parties are giving some of the young attendees a "new drug" that gives them a kind of high they've never had before ... by turning them into vampires, as the "drug" is nothing more than vampire blood. The fang-bearers, led by DJ X, have kidnapped Gwen's teenaged brother Peter, and are planning to bring their biggest rave yet to San Cazador - on the night of the blood moon, no less, when Peter will be sacrificed and hundreds of partygoers turned into vampires for good, starting a worldwide plan the vamps have for taking control of the world.

Edgar won't bite at first, not wanting to believe Gwen's story - plus he has his own, very personal reasons for not wanting to hunt bloodsuckers anymore, which you learn in the film but I won't divulge here. But in the end, of course, it DOES become up to Edgar to save the world, and when his brother Alan refuses to join in Edgar instead enlists the aid of comic book store clerk Zoe - even as Gwen (a nice play on Twilight author Stephenie Meyer, by the way), after Edgar's initial refusal, has also brought in a dorky, slab-of-beef reality-TV star named Lars (who thinks this whole thing is a staged reality show, not realizing he will be fighting real vampires) and a cameraman, to join the team. And when Edgar learns the rave is going to be at an old, deserted slaughterhouse on an island just off the shore of San Cazador, Edgar and his crew have to set out in the hopes that they can stop the sacrifice before DJ X turns hundreds of young people into a bloodsucking plagues set loose on the world.

I almost hate to admit it, but I had a whole lot of fun watching Lost Boys: The Thirst. And if you're willing to just enjoy the ride, without looking for things like original plotting and rock-solid acting skills from some of the cast involved, I think you'll at least have fun with this one, too. It's got action, humor, blood/gore, and Corey Feldman talking like he's got a throatful of crushed glass; what more could you want? High-spirited and quirky, with (believe it or not) an ending/plot twist you almost don't see coming until you're already there, Lost Boys: The Tribe is sprinkled liberally with both jokes and jolts throughout, featuring inspired performances by a decent cast that at least keeps the tension and energy level high. It won't win any awards, but then again doesn't want to; this films seeks only to ENTERTAIN, and on that level does so nicely. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome