Woodyanders Review of The Vampire Conspiracy

The Vampire Conspiracy (2005)

A fresh and different take on the usual vampire premise

[8/10 · 25 October 2010]

Five folks are abducted by bitter misanthrope vampire Thelonius Von Rylos (a suave and commanding portrayal by Jean-Marc Fontaine) and placed in a deadly maze that they must get out of in a single evening's time. If anyone survives the ordeal, that person will win the vampire's fortune. If they lose, they become lunch for Rylos' bloodsucking slaves. Writer/director Marc Morgenstern wrings plenty of claustrophobic suspense from the gripping and ingenious story, does an equally sound job of ably creating and maintaining a tense, spooky, and mysterious atmosphere, and stages the vampire attack scenes with real aplomb. The tricky narrative never becomes predictable and keeps you guessing right up to the surprising conclusion (in fact, said narrative is quite reminiscent of "Cube" in so far that it keeps the viewers on their toes from start to finish and offers some dark insights into human nature amid all the absorbing dramatics). Better yet, the characters are drawn with admirable depth and substance and are interconnected to each other in complex and subtle ways. This film further benefits from sturdy acting by the capable cast: Sarah Boes as feisty cop Janet Montgomery, Adrian M. Pryce as tough criminal Sam "Shiv" MacKenzie, Ron Mazor as antagonistic jerk lawyer Mitchell Jobidan, Christiane Garcia as wise college professor Dr. Vera Nichols, Jaret Sacrey as the twitchy, sniveling Peter Church, and John Lopes as compassionate engineer Brian Samuels. Dana Alexander's stylish cinematography uses a muted grayish color scheme to enhance the overall gloomy mood. Joseph Martini's shivery score does the shuddery trick. A nifty and engrossing low-budget indie horror sleeper.