Review The Thompsons (2012)
Review by by Char Hardin
Director: Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores
Writers: Mitchell Altieri, Cory Knauf, Butcher Brothers
Stars: Mackenzie Firgens,Cory Knauf, and Elizabeth Henstridge
"The Hamiltons" was one of the 8 Films to Die for back in 2006 and one I missed. When I was approached to request a review for "The Thompsons", I had no idea there was a previous film, until I started researching the film. I found a copy of the first film and loved it and having watched the sequel now five times, it is clearly a hit with me. I felt it only fitting to have as my first review for 2013 be "The Thompsons" which is being released today.
In "The Hamiltons" we are introduced to a family whose siblings are dealing with deaths of their parents. The family of 4 boys and a girl were learning to fend for themselves, dealing with typical sibling growing pains and something else. "The Hamiltons" have a curse...one that requires fresh blood in order to survive. The family is a modern day version of vampires. At the close of the first movie the family were on the move and in their wake were a pile of bodies, some even buried under the house. One of the final scenes have the family in front of a new home introducing themselves to fresh meat...I mean new neighbors...as "The Thompsons".
When the sequel arrived at my home, I was out of town. I had the Blu-Ray Combo pack Fed-Ex'd and within a couple of days, I was sitting down to watch both films back-to-back. I have read where one reviewer was quoted that "The Thompsons" was like Twilight meets Tarantino". There are definite references to the Twilight saga. And there is was a budding romance between one of "The Thompsons" and a new clan of vampires. The opening scene shows a sharp dressed Francis in black jacket white shirt and black tie. As he is walking up the road, one couldn't help but think of Edward in Twilight. My thoughts and feelings on the similarities between this movie and Twilight is that "The Thompsons" was what I would have liked Twilight to have been like. More adult and not so romantic and silly. Vampires are hunters and they were almost domesticated in the Twilight Saga, but in "The Thompsons" they were vicious, sexual, manipulative, vengeful and just liable to rip your throat out as to look at you, if anyone messed with them or anyone in their families.
An incident in roadside gas station restaurant a botched robbery ended with Lenny the youngest Thompson being shot and big brothers Francis, Wendell and sister Darlene attacked the robbers and the proceeded to attack and eat everyone in the place. Their murders became known as the Vampire Killings due to the bite marks left on the bodies. The family had learned of a name in London, that could possibly help them. The siblings were living in fear, not of discovery but of losing their precious younger brother, Lenny.
To clear up any confusion of who's who. Meet The Thompsons:
David (Samuel Child) older brother who only wanted to keep his brothers and sister together and live a quiet existence with his family.
Wendell(Joseph McKelheer) and Darlene (Mackenzie Firgens) were paternal twins. Wendell and Darlene had a unique relationship as they shared in everything including a three-way that ended badly for their food a beautiful pretty young plaything. Wendell is described as "a loose cannon" and Darlene as "someone who will do exactly as she says". They have ferocious appetite for blood and their methods are purely sexual.
Francis (Cory Knauf) is the male version of Twilight's Bella Swan. He questions their existence of finding normal and living as normal people. Frances is the narrator for the story.
Lenny(Ryan Hartwig) is the youngest of the family and the one they say is the "most innocent". Lenny has one helluva a scene in this sequel, I actually cheered him on!
It wasn't until I was nearly finished watching the movie that thought of another vampire child named Lenny. As the credits rolled it dawned on me...LOST BOYS. The young boy who was cared for by Star was named Lenny. I recalled her impassioned cry, "He's just a little boy!"
Okay, so you have met the family. Let's begin. If this seems crazy my order of how this review is written, wait until you meet Francis...he flip-flops in his story telling too. So, this was written this way not because I am crazy, but it is taste of what to expect from Francis.
So Lenny has been shot and the family is following a lead that will lead Francis to Ludlow a town in England. He is to ask for any help in finding the Manderson family. Francis' car breaks down and he enters Ludlow on foot and winds up a pub. Francis finds answers and then a whole mess of trouble.
The pub owner is the head of The Stuart vampire clan and he instructs Francis to send for his family, and he would help Francis' family. But this cunning vampire has plans of his own and betrays the Thompsons in a vicious vindictive manner.
Will Lenny survive? How did Francis end up in a box underground? More is explained about their curse and mother's family history, which I found to be interesting, plus these vampires live as normal people in houses and blend into society, they you wouldn't know what they were unless shown. What this head vampire has planned for the Thompsons is far more than any of them bargained. The ending is quite bloody and very satisfying!
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to visit with The Thompsons and would love to see another film with these characters. Fans of Near Dark will like this and older fans of Twilight looking for something along the lines of True Blood will fall share a new appreciation for vampires that blend in but are not romanticized and made to look beautiful and someone you wouldn't mind having over for dinner. With "The Thompsons" I enjoyed the sexual conquest, family history, family unity, violence their appearance and most of all it was BLOODY! There isn't anything shiny about these vampires. Wendell and Darlene give new meaning to TWISTED TWINS and when they meet the Stuart Brothers Cole and Ian...COLD BLOODED killers with a merry ole sense of humor. These boys take a new approach at their wicked version of FACE OFF.
Sink your money into a copy of THE THOMPSONS on DVD and available on Blu-Ray January 1, 2013. I would definitely recommend this vampire thrill ride...it has quite a bite!
For more from Char visit her website www.CharHardin.com
Director: Mitchell Altieri and Phil FloresWriters: Mitchell Altieri, Cory Knauf, Butcher Brothers
Stars: Mackenzie Firgens,Cory Knauf, and Elizabeth Henstridge
"The Hamiltons" was one of the 8 Films to Die for back in 2006 and one I missed. When I was approached to request a review for "The Thompsons", I had no idea there was a previous film, until I started researching the film. I found a copy of the first film and loved it and having watched the sequel now five times, it is clearly a hit with me. I felt it only fitting to have as my first review for 2013 be "The Thompsons" which is being released today.
In "The Hamiltons" we are introduced to a family whose siblings are dealing with deaths of their parents. The family of 4 boys and a girl were learning to fend for themselves, dealing with typical sibling growing pains and something else. "The Hamiltons" have a curse...one that requires fresh blood in order to survive. The family is a modern day version of vampires. At the close of the first movie the family were on the move and in their wake were a pile of bodies, some even buried under the house. One of the final scenes have the family in front of a new home introducing themselves to fresh meat...I mean new neighbors...as "The Thompsons".
When the sequel arrived at my home, I was out of town. I had the Blu-Ray Combo pack Fed-Ex'd and within a couple of days, I was sitting down to watch both films back-to-back. I have read where one reviewer was quoted that "The Thompsons" was like Twilight meets Tarantino". There are definite references to the Twilight saga. And there is was a budding romance between one of "The Thompsons" and a new clan of vampires. The opening scene shows a sharp dressed Francis in black jacket white shirt and black tie. As he is walking up the road, one couldn't help but think of Edward in Twilight. My thoughts and feelings on the similarities between this movie and Twilight is that "The Thompsons" was what I would have liked Twilight to have been like. More adult and not so romantic and silly. Vampires are hunters and they were almost domesticated in the Twilight Saga, but in "The Thompsons" they were vicious, sexual, manipulative, vengeful and just liable to rip your throat out as to look at you, if anyone messed with them or anyone in their families.
An incident in roadside gas station restaurant a botched robbery ended with Lenny the youngest Thompson being shot and big brothers Francis, Wendell and sister Darlene attacked the robbers and the proceeded to attack and eat everyone in the place. Their murders became known as the Vampire Killings due to the bite marks left on the bodies. The family had learned of a name in London, that could possibly help them. The siblings were living in fear, not of discovery but of losing their precious younger brother, Lenny.
To clear up any confusion of who's who. Meet The Thompsons:
David (Samuel Child) older brother who only wanted to keep his brothers and sister together and live a quiet existence with his family.
Wendell(Joseph McKelheer) and Darlene (Mackenzie Firgens) were paternal twins. Wendell and Darlene had a unique relationship as they shared in everything including a three-way that ended badly for their food a beautiful pretty young plaything. Wendell is described as "a loose cannon" and Darlene as "someone who will do exactly as she says". They have ferocious appetite for blood and their methods are purely sexual.
Francis (Cory Knauf) is the male version of Twilight's Bella Swan. He questions their existence of finding normal and living as normal people. Frances is the narrator for the story.
Lenny(Ryan Hartwig) is the youngest of the family and the one they say is the "most innocent". Lenny has one helluva a scene in this sequel, I actually cheered him on!
It wasn't until I was nearly finished watching the movie that thought of another vampire child named Lenny. As the credits rolled it dawned on me...LOST BOYS. The young boy who was cared for by Star was named Lenny. I recalled her impassioned cry, "He's just a little boy!"
Okay, so you have met the family. Let's begin. If this seems crazy my order of how this review is written, wait until you meet Francis...he flip-flops in his story telling too. So, this was written this way not because I am crazy, but it is taste of what to expect from Francis.
So Lenny has been shot and the family is following a lead that will lead Francis to Ludlow a town in England. He is to ask for any help in finding the Manderson family. Francis' car breaks down and he enters Ludlow on foot and winds up a pub. Francis finds answers and then a whole mess of trouble.
The pub owner is the head of The Stuart vampire clan and he instructs Francis to send for his family, and he would help Francis' family. But this cunning vampire has plans of his own and betrays the Thompsons in a vicious vindictive manner.
Will Lenny survive? How did Francis end up in a box underground? More is explained about their curse and mother's family history, which I found to be interesting, plus these vampires live as normal people in houses and blend into society, they you wouldn't know what they were unless shown. What this head vampire has planned for the Thompsons is far more than any of them bargained. The ending is quite bloody and very satisfying!
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to visit with The Thompsons and would love to see another film with these characters. Fans of Near Dark will like this and older fans of Twilight looking for something along the lines of True Blood will fall share a new appreciation for vampires that blend in but are not romanticized and made to look beautiful and someone you wouldn't mind having over for dinner. With "The Thompsons" I enjoyed the sexual conquest, family history, family unity, violence their appearance and most of all it was BLOODY! There isn't anything shiny about these vampires. Wendell and Darlene give new meaning to TWISTED TWINS and when they meet the Stuart Brothers Cole and Ian...COLD BLOODED killers with a merry ole sense of humor. These boys take a new approach at their wicked version of FACE OFF.
Sink your money into a copy of THE THOMPSONS on DVD and available on Blu-Ray January 1, 2013. I would definitely recommend this vampire thrill ride...it has quite a bite!
For more from Char visit her website www.CharHardin.com