VOD from the Dead - Nest of Vampires (2021)
Horror is one of the easiest, and also most difficult, genres to mix with others. Done well, horror can be a great addition to a sci-fi film (Alien) or a comedy (Shaun of the Dead). One of the less prominent horror genre mashups is spy thriller/espionage. Drama is inherent to all films to some extent, but the world of spies, organized crime, and government agents going undercover is something that usually is nothing more than window dressing in horror. It’s easy to see why these themes aren’t more prominent in horror, or at least why they aren’t the focus in most films. The two themes share as much in common as they do in difference, which is why it is both fascinating and unsurprising that there are not more examples of the films that play to both crowds. Enter 2021’s NEST OF VAMPIRES. A mishmash of James Bond, Blade, and Taken all rolled up into one. The question is though, does NEST OF VAMPIRES blaze a new genre trail or get lost in a sea of its own confusion?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
NEST OF VAMPIRES follows an MI5 agent who travels from London to rural England in search of the people who murdered his wife and kidnapped his only daughter. During his investigation, he uncovers a ruthless vampiric cult that is heavily embroiled in human trafficking and Satanic cult worship.
Is it me or is that a syringe you’re preparing to stick in me for a bad reason, probably?
HOW IS IT?
I think it’s best to start this review off by stating that I went into this with a little more excitement than normal. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen a really good vampire movie in a while, and they are after all one of my favorite horror-themed characters out there. The excitement that I started with slowly began to fade as the +/- 90-minute film wore on, and a story about an MI-5 agent trying to find his daughter from a gang of sex traffickers emerges. As I type that last line out, I realize how cool of an idea that actually sounds. The problem thus becomes, what does this have to do with vampires? See, the connection to vampirism in NEST OF VAMPIRES is somewhat light. The opening credits foretell of a kind of vampire that can walk during the daylight but entirely drops that idea all the way until the very end. In fact, through the majority of the run time, there are very few vampires on screen. So while the premise is interesting, the title and opening credits set an expectation that the film doesn’t seem all that interested in meeting. In fact, you could remove the vampire aspect from this film and you would likely have a very similar, if not more focused film.
The best test of a good horror genre mashup is this test; if you remove the horror elements from it, is the film worse off for it? If the answer is “yes”, then you have a great foundation to build on. If the answer is “no”, then the question should be asked if the horror elements are needed at all? In the case of NEST OF VAMPIRES, the film may actually be better without the vampires..even if the vampire action is really good when it happens on screen! The horror elements here are good when they appear, but more often than not they feel more like a distraction from what is the core plot about an MI-5 agent searching for his missing daughter. There is a twist inherent to this film that is pretty easy to spot a little after the mid-way point. I actually wrote in my notes my “prediction” for the reveal at 48 minutes only to write “confirmed” right next to it at the 58-minute mark. It’s at that 58-minute mark as well when things start to get a little more interesting as well. While the twist can be seen a mile away and is quite disappointing, it does pick up the pace of the film significantly for the final 20+/- minutes of the film's running time. This boost is needed, but too late to recapture the attention.
NEST OF VAMPIRES isn’t a bad movie and technically it looks quite good. A very modest GBP30,000 (approx. $41,000) budget doesn’t seem super apparent in the way the film is shot and the quality of the acting on-screen. While there were no “stand out” performances, it’s a testament to the actors and the creative team at large that this has a level of polish and professionalism some larger budget studio films can’t even muster. Like many independent filmmakers out there today, writer/director Chris Sanders demonstrates a solid command of the film and doesn’t lose the viewer over lazy directing or editing. As mentioned before, the thing that drags this film down the most is its very adjacent relationship to horror. Because it feels so much like an afterthought throughout it in turn makes the film feel sluggish on account of the expectation that the horror will be coming.
One vampire does not a nest make…
LAST RITES
NEST OF VAMPIRES is a noble and original effort to expand the vampire genre more broadly, but because it is not focused as much on the vampire angle it ultimately loses steam only to regain it just a little too late.
THE GORY DETAILS
Directed By
Written By
Starring
Where can you watch it?
Nest of Vampires available to rent or buy at www.nestofvampires.com...VOD release coming soon!
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