DAMPYR (2022) Reviews of Italian comic book adaptation plus first 9 minutes clip

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Dampyr is a 2022 Italian action horror film about a half-human/half-vampire being who must face the Master of the Night.

Directed by Riccardo Chemello from a screenplay written by Giovanni Masi, Alberto Ostini and Mauro Uzzeo, the Eagle Picture-Sergio Bonelli Editore-Brandon Box production is based on the comic book of the same name by Mauro Boselli and Maurizio Colombo

The movie stars Wade Briggs, Stuart Martin, Frida Gustavsson, Sebastian Croft, David Morrissey, Radu Andrei Micu, Ionut Grama, Luke Roberts, Florin Fratila, Madalina Bellariu Ion,, Andreea Coff, Alice Cora Mihalache, Alexandra Poiana, Claudia Negroiu, Aura Calarasu, Simina Siminie and Oliver Lepadatu.

Plot:
During the Balkan war in the early nineties, Harlan Draka wanders the countryside haunted by horrible nightmares, shamelessly making money pretending to be a Dampyr (half-human and half-vampire) ridding villages of what the villagers naively believe to be evil monsters.

However, when he is summoned by soldiers who are under attack by real vampires, Harlan finds out the truth: he is a Dampyr. While trying to destroy a terrible Master of the Night, he will have to learn to manage his powers and find out more about his mysterious origins…

Reviews:
“If the world of fantasy has the merit of transposing, through metaphors, our internal struggles, Dampyr’s film wanted to bring the comic to life on the big screen: an operation that was successful thanks to the choice to work in Romania, as well as thanks to reconstructions and scenography ambitious, in the use of wide views from above, but above all in the skill in the use of chiaroscuro and colour. The direction of debutant Riccardo Chemello is striking…” Asbury Movies [translated from Italian]

“Always was one step forward and then one back while this rolled along, with decent action scenes mooted by pointless ones. For an indie-level flick though, when this movie is on, it is nicely done giving praise to first-time director Riccardo Chemello. Knowing this is the freshman effort, I expect he will do quite well moving forward. For vampire fans, you do get something slightly different…” Jackmeats Flix

“Director Riccardo Chemello started out in advertising and makes a reasonable debut here – it’s an issue that every character arc, line of dialogue, situation and image comes from stock, but the whole thing is put together with some verve.  It’s especially good at vampire destructions – with some new wrinkles on the turn-to-dust business as bullets dipped in dampyr blood rip fiery holes through bloodsuckers.” The Kim Newman Web Site

YouTube reviews:

First nine minutes clip:

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