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The Lost Boys stands as one of the few vampire flicks of the ‘80s that’s actually worth anything. The film took the genre and gave it a slick overhaul that is both fun, cheesy, and still manages to deliver some solid scenes of gore. This entire package was tied into a little bow and set firmly upon the backs of its major draw, the screen presence of two friends named Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, without which, The Lost Boys would never have achieved as much success as it did.

The film follows the plight of a broken family as they move to the fictional town of Santa Carla, a beach town full of punk rockers, vagrancy, musicians that are greasier than a bratwurst cooked in a pan of lard, and bloodsucking vampires. The two brothers in the film, the suspiciously straight Sam and the moody loner Michael, stumble upon a group of fun-loving motorcycle punks who turn out to be vampires. It’s up to the two brothers, and a couple of fun-loving vampire slayers called the Frog Brothers to destroy the bloodsucking menace that threatens the peace of Santa Carla.

The film is brilliantly directed by Joel Schumacher, who for the majority of his career has been largely disappointing. The Lost Boys stands as Schumacher’s greatest film to date and everything in the film works the way it is supposed to. The pacing is excellent, with only one minor hiccup during an unwarranted and balnd love scene. The imagery is soldi throughout and Schumacher’s transitions have never been this organic in any film since. The imagery in the film is great and it’s a perfect picture of the gaudy ‘80s style fashion that was prevalent in the late ‘80s.

The acting in the film isn’t awesome… but it does what it’s supposed to do and that’s to allow the viewer to have a good time without having to bitch too much about the acting. Corey Haim (Prayer of the Rollerboys, Lucas) is bizarrely appropriate as Sam Emerson… despite the fact that Haim was 15 or 16 when the film was made and everyone around him treats him like he’s ten years old. Jason Patric (Speed 2: Cruise Control, Solarbabies) is serviceable as Michael, the older brother who runs afoul of the gang of vampires led by the fascinating performance of Kiefer Sutherland (Flatliners, Young Guns) as David. The rest of the cast is quality, but no one stands out or has much to do to stand out.

The gore scenes in the film are few, but well done. The film’s last half hour is a perfect example of ‘80s gore glorification, as vampires explode and melt in satisfying ways. All of the effects are practical which allows this movie to hold up, despite its hilariously out-dated fashions.

The Lost Boys is one of those films that people love, especially those of us that were young at the time the film came out. Who didn’t imagine running around with your buddies on your bikes and stabbing vampires through the heart? No one, that’s who. Even if you have no sense of nostalgia for the movie, it’s still a solid flick that rivals the more serious efforts within the vampire sub-genre.

Final Synopsis: The Lost Boys rocks. Buy it and check it out if you haven’t seen it.

Points Lost: -1 for that lame little kid in the movie, he’s pretty pointless

Lesson Learned: Don’t invite vampires into your house.

Burning Question: Is that not the gayest Rob Lowe poster on Sam’s closet door?

The Lost Boys
9/10

Tags: 1987, alex winter, billy wirth, Corey Feldman, corey haim, cult classic, dianne wiest, edward herrmann, horror, horror movie, jami gertz, Jamison Newlander, jason patric, joel schumacher, kiefer sutherland, latest movie review, oily dude playing a saxophone, recent2, sam might be gay, the frog brothers, vampire, vampire movie, vampires