Byzantium
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Blood, innuendo in stylish, moody vampire tale.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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What's the Story?
When Clara (Gemma Arterton) and her daughter, Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan), are discovered to be vampires, they're forced to move -- again. They've been doing this for two centuries. Their new home, a dilapidated hotel, looks promising, especially since Clara can make money with a prostitution ring. But when Eleanor meets a strange, tender young man, Frank (Caleb Landry Jones), she decides she wants to stop running and tell someone the truth for a change. She tries to write a story about her history, but unfortunately, her mother has never told her an important part of it. And that part -- a kind of vampire cop called Darvell (Sam Riley) -- is hot on Clara's trail.
Is It Any Good?
Director Neil Jordan's films have a moody, patient, quiet quality that, even if it can't cover up for weak or ordinary material, enhances his best work. That characteristic definitely lends itself to non-realistic and supernatural subjects like The Company of Wolves, Interview with the Vampire, and the romantic Ondine. BYZANTIUM likewise works because of this style, and although it doesn't exactly reinvent the genre, it least offers a fresh, reflective take.
The movie is definitely gory, but Jordan focuses more on the moods and textures of vampirism. A dropped, blood-soaked handkerchief becomes an object of allure, more so than any flesh-and-blood victim. Various potent physical spaces, especially the seaside, reflect the characters' innermost emotions. Jordan also relishes the physical touch of skin, both erotic and violent. Certainly many viewers will bemoan a certain lack of romance in this approach, but for the adventurous, Byzantium is a lovely thing of dark poetry.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the vampire violence in Byzantium. How does it compare to other vampire movies? Why is there more blood here? What does it symbolize?
What's the draw of vampire movies? Are they all intended to appeal to the same audience?
Is Byzantium scary? What is it about vampires that's scary -- or not scary?
Why does Eleanor decide to tell her story? Why is storytelling so powerful? Why is telling the truth more powerful than telling lies?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 28, 2013
- On DVD or streaming: October 29, 2013
- Cast: Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley, Saoirse Ronan
- Director: Neil Jordan
- Studio: IFC Entertainment
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 118 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: bloody violence, sexual content and language
- Last updated: April 6, 2023
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