Film review: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Review by: Alexa Williamson
Rating: ** (out of 5)
This is one definitely for vampire movie addicts as it doesn’t have that developed of a plot. Yet, the acting is good and can be amusing.
Starring John C Reilly as Larten Crepsley, the vampire who chooses an apprentice and Chris Massoglia as Darren Shan, his apprentice, we are presented with a story of an old vampire who is feuding with another group of vampires. Crepsley will drink animal and human blood, but will not kill the victims, where as the other group of vampires, The Vampaneze, will kill humans. Darren stumbles into all of this after visiting a sideshow and his friend being bitten by Crepsley’s deadly spider. To get the antidote for the spider bite, Darren must agree to become a vampire.
Very much a movie for teenagers, we watch Crepsley train Darren to become a good vampire and various fights that ensue – and living in the freak show with Crepsley, we also see a light romance between him and monkey girl Rebecca (Jessica Carlson).
Perhaps worth catching on video, but don’t bother a trip to the cinema for this one unless, again a) you’re a vampire movie fanatic or b) you really like Salma Hayak. With a minor role in the movie as Madame Truska, she plays a woman who can see into the future and also grow a beard.
