Title: Embrace of the Vampire
Director: Carl Bessai
Starring: Sharon Hinnendael, Kaniehtiio Horn, C.C. Sheffield, Victor Webster, Ryan Kennedy, Keegan Connor Tracy
Running time: 91 minutes, Unrated, Also available on DVD, Release date 10/15
Special Features: None
Charlotte (Sharon Hinnendael), a sheltered convent raised orphan is given a scholarship at a small co-ed university. She is intimidated by her sexually open, but kind roommate Nicole (Kaniehtiio Horn) and her slutty bully best friend Eliza (C.C. Sheffield). Charlotte excels in fencing and wins favor with the new coach Professor Cole (Victor Webster), much to the dismay of her fellow classmates who subject her to an evening of hazing by forcing her to get drunk for the first time, which leads to her first lesbian encounter. She also suffers horrible nightmares, daymares, finds herself waking up in strange places and the hallucinations begin to take a toll on her sanity. Daciana (Keegan Connor Tracy), a mysterious woman who runs the local new age shop, takes an interest in Charlotte and tells her she comes from a long line of dhampyr vampire hunters who must destroy the one who seeks her as his salvation.
P.S. It’s remake of the 1995 cult classic starring Alyssa Milano which will soon be released on Blu-ray/DVD as well.
The negative: All of the girl students in this film are supposed to be almost fresh out of high school, and they all look like they’re pushing 30. With the high-definition of the Blu-ray, it’s apparent which ones are well over 30. This isn’t 90210, that shit doesn’t fly anymore. It’s been 17 years since I saw the original film, and I was puzzled as to why somebody thought it needed to be remade. After checking YouTube to jog my memory, the original kind of sucked; so again with the question, why was this remade? With exception to this remake’s burning vampire effect, the original’s non-ambiguous ending is better than the “That’s It?!” ending of the remake. The love story is not believable. Unless Chris the coffee shop manager (Ryan Kennedy) was super desperate to get laid, I couldn’t see anybody wasting their time on a moody recluse who says “I don’t know,” to every question. I couldn’t imagine getting it up for that aggravating nonsense. After seeing her friends all killed, Charlotte reads a book left to her by Daciana and suddenly she knows how to kill the vampire? It’s just imbedded in her DNA. Sure, why the hell not.
The positive: Lots and lots and lots of T & A….if that sells it for you, then you’ll probably want to quit after chapter 10 and save some disappointment; consider that a tip.
Total rating: D
Reviewed by: JM Willis
