Gentrification: the silent killer that snakes its way throughout American ghettos and leaves neighborhoods and underprivileged families falling apart at the seams. A little known fact, however, is that vampires also make their way through these ghettos, leading the way for gentrification and destroying families and neighborhoods. Miguel Martinez (Jaden Michael), Bobby Carter (Gerald Jones III) and Luis Acosta (Gregory Diaz IV) are teenagers living in the Bronx who are dealing with similar circumstances. Vampires vs. the Bronx tells the story of these three young men fighting to save their neighborhood from certain destruction at the hands of a local real estate company and the undead creatures that lurk in the night.
The three young men, Miguel, Bobby and Luis, are indescribably relatable. Furthermore, their innocence, street smarts and willingness to stick their necks out for the people they care about when the going gets tough allows viewers to fall in love with them almost instantly. There’s this ineffable innocence about them as they navigate the unusually dangerous streets of New York City and attempt to rid the place that they love of vampires. The three boys possess a vivid imagination that allows them the opportunity to look past the obvious and understand the seriousness of what is taking place in their community. Vampires vs. the Bronx employs the perfect young men to portray the innocent, yet equally mature, New Yorkers and intrigues audiences with this somewhat new approach to personifying what a child growing up in the hood might look like.
Even with big-name Hollywood regulars such as Zoe Saldana (Becky) and Shea Whigham (Frank Polidori) gracing the screen and playing roles in Vampires vs. the Bronx, newcomer, Jaden Michael, outshines the entire cast and delivers an interestingly accurate depiction of youth in the ghetto. Michael flawlessly expresses a love for his city and a beautiful juxtaposition of sincerity and animosity that relates to the world in which he has grown up. Michael is able to translate feelings of disgust, fear and generosity in a way which not only viewers of his age group are able to understand, but viewers of all ages. The position that Miguel and his friends are in is outlandish and certainly not one that anyone has ever experienced in the past. Yet, Michael is able to connect with audiences and make them feel as if they had been there. This connection that Michael forges with his audience is a large part of what makes Vampire vs. the Bronx so appealing.
The bond between viewers and characters continues to strengthen throughout the film, as these unassuming, average teens find ways (unique ways at that) to fight the evil that currently plagues their city. From the opening moments of Vampires vs. the Bronx, the camaraderie present among the residents of the Bronx prove their worth over and over again. Led by Miguel, Bobby and Luis, the city works together to keep their homes, their streets and the people they love from being overrun by pale-faced freaks. The group effort, again, led primarily by Miguel, draws viewers in and has them begging for more.
The real killer (aside from the vampires) of this film is the dialogue. It’s too simplistic, lacks the vigor necessary to draw laughs and feels inauthentic in terms of where Vampires vs. the Bronx takes place. The words feel too scripted, when a combination of college words and slang should have led the way. The remedial nature of the dialogue fits the young boys to a degree, but feels silly when delivered by what are supposed to be more established individuals in the world (i.e. Sarah Gadon’s Vivian). The dialogue doesn’t water down the brilliance of the character development, but throws a bit of wrench in the authenticity of the film.
Vampires vs. the Bronx depicts three boys who have to save their reality from something unexpected. And like a vampire attack in the Bronx, this film is quite the surprise. With a ridiculous premise and unestablished actors, Vampires vs. the Bronx could have easily turned off audiences early, but the fantastical nature, the innocence conveyed by the boys and the artistic juxtaposition of vampires and the hood, writer-director Osmany Rodriguez (and co-writer Blaise Hemingway) finds himself with a film that is sure to entertain in the most unexpected ways.
Directed by Osmany Rodriguez. Written by Osmany Rodriguez & Blaise Hemingway. Starring Jaden Michael, Gerald Jones III, Gregory Diaz IV, Shea Whigham, Sarah Gadon, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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