I’ve heard a lot of negative things about the new ‘re-imagining’ of Stephen King’s famous vampire tale, and while the movie cannot be considered a masterpiece, it certainly did not disgrace itself either.

Nothing can come close to topping Tobe Hooper’s 1979 miniseries, that much is very clear. However, when you compare this recent film to most of the slop that is being released these days, it comes across as quite watchable and entertaining.

There are some issues, such as the fast-pacing and need to move the plot on quickly, which does not help a horror story build suspense and terror. Also, we see the main antagonist a lot earlier than we needed to, which is a risky ploy for this type of movie. The film does include some hard-to-believe scenes involving one of the younger characters, and the dynamic between Barlow and Straker felt a little flat, but I let it all go and just went with the flow.

But there’s a lot to like about this show. It is well-directed and acted, and some of the concepts were smartly executed and a lot of the transitional shots were well done.

I gave ‘Salem’s Lot’ a score of three and a half on Rotten Tomatoes – rating it as being worth a watch, but not necessarily something to get excited over. That being said, I must say that this film certainly exceeded my expectations.

‘Salem’s Lot’ is currently streaming on MAX.

All screenshots courtesy of Warner Bros/New Line Cinema.