We Are The Night (2010) Review

I’m hardly a feminist, but when it comes to vampires, the females rule. At least in Denis Gansel’s 2010 film, We Are The Night, where century-old women roam the land like kids on a playground. But it’s not always about drugs and sex. Sometimes it’s about love, and what you’ll do to obtain it.

A small clan of unique female vampires dominates the underground of one of the corners of Berlin, seeking any form of purpose in their eternal being. Meanwhile, thieving, fighting, dark sprite known as Lena (Karoline Herfurth) plays cat and mouse with the police when she robs the wrong guy. It’s obvious she likes to flirt with danger and knows exactly how to do it. But when she sneaks into the clan’s club, they take a particular interest in her. Louise (Nina Hoss), their make-shift dean mother, stalks Lena in the writhing crowd as she marks her as her own. Unfortunately Lena isn’t looking for a commitment and because Louise won’t take no for an answer, the fatal bite occurs.

When Lena finds her way back home, things are very different. The symptoms progress quickly and she’s forced to accept what she has now become. A vampire. (Oddly enough they never use that term in the movie.) Louise, Nora (Anna Fischer), and Charlotte (Jennifer Ulrich) take Lena under their wing and show her a world she never dreamed of, filled with speeding cars, crazy blood parties, and walking on walls. But she’s not easily severed from the persistent officer who has taken a personal interest in her. With his soft spot weighed upon, Tom (Max Riemelt) manages to become collateral damage in a struggle that’s been brewing for centuries.

An electrifying, erotic adventure that deserves to be placed in the ranks of Let the Right One In, Interview with the Vampire, and Vampires. Offering the best aspects of vampirism, We Are The Night picked a rough and tumble young girl to be the channel through which we experience the unique facets of transformation. I appreciated their eye for detail when it pertained to the sensitive intermingling of these rare, deadly creatures and the naïve world around them. But as we all know better doesn’t mean perfect. And we get to watch the cookie crumble when heightened bliss gives way to grave threats to their way of life. Some of the things the producers made these sexy vampires do were truly amazing to watch. In particular, the final stand-off proved to be gravity-challenged. Though I’m not an expert on German actresses, I was absolutely pleased with the performances in this film. I have high standards when it comes to theatrical depictions of my favorite species and was glad I watched this.

Savage Score sucks a 4 out of 5. Viewers will enjoy the thick sexual aura emanating from the main characters while they run around tearing out veins like twizzlers. Which leads me to the Gore Score of a 5 out of 10. Surpassing bleeding arteries are several burning bodies and ice cube shot glasses. If you’re a fan of this particular sub-genre, you’ll appreciate the modern day take that this German rendition offers.