“The Pitt’s” Shawn Hatosy features in one of the greatest alien-invasion films ever produced, “The Faculty,” and in 2014, he appeared in the significantly underrated horror series, “Penny Dreadful,” alongside Eva Green. However, between those two horror projects, he took center stage in an extraordinarily gruesome and profoundly frightening vampire movie, “30 Days of Night.”
Helmed by David Slade and based on a comic book of the same name, Hartnett portrayed Eben Oleson, the sheriff of the isolated town of Barrow, Alaska, which is annually shrouded in total darkness when the sun sets, remaining absent for a full 30 days. Enduring such extreme conditions is challenging enough, but to complicate things further, a deranged newcomer (Ben Foster) arrives in the town, throwing Barrow into chaos just as his vampire overlords are set to feast for a month, with all the inhabitants up for grabs.
Unexpectedly, the film has received polarized reviews from critics, achieving only 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, despite making a notable impact at the box office, grossing $75 million against a $30 million budget. Nevertheless, while “30 Days of Night” had its share of detractors at the time, it showcases a lot of talent from a skilled director paying tribute to another horror maestro who has spent years delivering frights through more extraterrestrial avenues.