Parents' Guide to

Fright Night

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Remake blends bloody vampire violence with humor.

Movie R 2011 106 minutes
Fright Night Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 7 parent reviews

WBella555
WBella555 Adult
July 27, 2021
age 16+

Not what was explained "A lot or a little"

I has horrified with the amount of blasphemy, and revolting speech of teenagers. A LOT OR A LITTLE? The SEX you described...… was in fact NOT correct. Woman in lingerie, breasts, bumps.. that to my understanding is in fact degrading, objectifying and should have been mentioned by CS. I am very disappointed in the information you provided towards, not only this movie but a few others I have also noticed you were not on par with but I chose to accept you can also make mistakes, however.... I am very disappointed in you CS as I pay for a service that is sometimes NOT safe.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
whysoserious2
whysoserious2 Adult
September 10, 2015
age 16+

Not too scary and a good vampire film

I haven't seen the 1985 Fright Night but I think this one is worth checking out. I'm not a fan of the horror genre so I can say this film is definitely not as scary as I thought it would be (I expected to not be able to sit through it). However, it has some violence especially towards the end. I think anyone over 16 can handle it and have fun with it. There's some comedy throughout that felt refreshing and I liked a lot. Fans of traditional vampire stories will definitely be pleased. The performances are great as well!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In a Las Vegas suburb, Charley (Anton Yelchin) has a new girlfriend (Imogen Poots) and is working hard to leave his nerdy past behind. Unfortunately, one of Charley's extra-geeky old friends, Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), shows up, claiming that Charley's mysterious new neighbor, Jerry (Colin Farrell), is a vampire. Charley tries to ignore the matter, but after Ed disappears, he starts investigating and finds some horrifying evidence. Unfortunately, he also finds that he has a difficult time getting anyone to believe him. He even tries to recruit local stage magician/self-proclaimed vampire hunter, Peter Vincent (David Tennant). But ultimately, Charley has no choice but to face Jerry himself, help or no help.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (24):

This remake essentially stays true to the formula of the 1985 version, with great success.The original Fright Night gleefully celebrated old-time horrors while at the same time commenting on modern horrors in a humorous way; it also had a slew of modern-day gore and special effects. Director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Marti Noxon (a veteran of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) create a world in which the Twilight books exist, but vampires are beer-drinking handymen rather than brooding teens; they're not necessarily cooler than anybody else, but they are one jump ahead.

The movie sets up a delightfully wry cat-and-mouse game as the heroes search for vampire rules online, and the vampires simply change them on a whim. The breezy direction allows plenty of room for the actors, especially a hammy David Tennant (Doctor Who), to stretch out and shine. The end result is a mood that's funny and playful, like a really good late-night movie on TV.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. How do the comic undertones affect its impact? Is any of it disturbing rather than just scary/thrilling?

  • What's the appeal of vampires and vampire movies? Are they scary? How is this movie similar to the popular Twilight movies? How is it different?

Movie Details

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