Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

2009Movie109 minEnglish

When Darren Shan is taken to a circus that's chock-full of sideshow oddities, he meets a vampire and receives a life-changing bite on the neck.

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Insights

IMDb5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes17%
Metacritic37/100
Google Users59%
Director: Paul WeitzGenres: Fantasy, Horror, Action, Adventure, Comedy

Plot Summary

A shy teenager named Darren Shan is unexpectedly drawn into the mysterious world of vampires after befriending one and becoming his assistant. He must then navigate a dangerous truce between warring vampire clans and a sinister show of freaks, all while trying to find a way to become human again.

Critical Reception

The film received generally mixed to negative reviews from critics, with many finding its story convoluted and its tone inconsistent. While some praised the visuals and the performances of the supporting cast, the overall reception indicated that it failed to fully capitalize on its intriguing premise.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film struggles with a muddled plot and an inconsistent tone.
  • Visually interesting with some strong supporting performances, but ultimately fails to deliver.
  • Lacks the charm and depth to engage a broad audience.

Google audience: Audience reviews are divided, with some appreciating the dark fantasy elements and the unique creature designs. However, many found the narrative hard to follow and the character development lacking.

Fun Fact

The film is based on the first three books of the popular 'The Saga of Darren Shan' series by Darren Shan.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
Wuchak

Wuchak

A teen joins a freak circus where he encounters a war between vampires RELEASED IN 2009 and directed by Marco Brambilla, "Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant" is a fantasy/horror/comedy about a teen (Chris Massoglia) who is compelle...
Per Gunnar Jonsson

Per Gunnar Jonss...

I found this movie pretty much by accident when flicking through the Netflix catalogue. I thought what the heck and started to watch it. My hopes were really not that high. Actually I am not sure I had any hopes at all since I just stumbled...
talisencrw

talisencrw

From watching John C. Reilly over the years, in everything from 'Hoffa' and 'Dolores Claiborne' when he was developing his craft, to 'Step Brothers' and 'Carnage', in which he was one of the leading actors that the film was centered on, I r...