An alternative take on the normal vampire lore. If you've watched the recent Salem's Lot, you'll know exactly what I mean. That was Vampiring 101. This sits comfortably smugly at the other end of the bloodthirsty spectrum.
"It's quite a lot to take in. You must have one or two questions."
The Radley family have a secret. So secret, in fact, that half of them don't even know it themselves. But it all comes to light when the teenage daughter kills a schoolmate in the woods and feels the insatiable need to drink his warm, still twitching blood. Luckily, only the family are aware of events. A fact that the family intend to keep that way.
So we learn the most obvious thing. The Radleys are a family of vampires. Mum, Dad and the two kids. This often begs answers to the questions we already assumed were canon about vampirism and while not exactly what you would expect, this is no less valid for having a go at looking at the myth through different eyes.
Such news would make the world look like an entirely different place with the alluring opportunity that such a thing would offer to the children. The daughter, already having fed, turns into a different, more confident person, whilst the son struggles with what he is becoming and his own sexuality at the same time. Not an enviable place to be.
The performances are great throughout with Damian Lewis especially effective as the father, an abstainer, and his twin brother (the children's uncle), who has taken the opposite path, enjoying his abilities to the fullest.
It is beautifully shot and elegantly directed, undeniably a British horror story, part stiff upper lip at times and embarassing wanton excess at others. The domestic bliss being slowly eroded throughout is palpable and underlines the whole thing.
The audience are left hanging narratively and tempted for an outcome that will leave them as satified as the family themselves. It's not too graphic for any average viewer but the pace may annoy those more urgently in need of cinematic release. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the lack of active bloodletting and an obvious choice to avoid the most visceral opportunities, made up by the engaging talent on show.