DIRECTED BY
Euros Lyn
WRITTEN BY
Talitha Stevenson
STARRING
Damian Lewis, Kelly Macdonald, Harry Baxendale, Bo Bragason, Jay Lycurgo, Siân Phillips, Shaun Parkes
The Radleys seem like a normal family by day, but they have many skeletons in their closets. Kelly Macdonald (No Country For Old Men) and Damian Lewis (“Billions,” Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood) star in a dark comedy thriller that examines what happens to a quiet countryside family when their dark secret comes to light, they’re a family of vampires.
Director Euros Lyn (Torchwood, Dr. Who) directs this story of a family of vampires, whose secret unravels when Clara Radley (Bo Bragenson) is forced into an incident with a fellow student. Things get bloody and one person ends up dead. Helen (Macdonald) & Peter (Lewis) Radley must contact Peter’s outcast nomadic brother Will (also played by Lewis) to help dispose of the dead teenager.
The Radleys starts with an interesting and fresh concept but sadly treads the same waters as many vampire films before. Even two doses of actor Damian Lewis playing duo roles (one as his polar opposite vampire brother Will Radley) can’t save the film from old batty troupes. Some interesting scenes incorporate Will and the Radley clan, but nothing unique about these that elevates the interactions beyond typical.
The interesting love story between the youngest Radley sibling Rowan (Harry Baxendale) and Evan Copeleigh (Jay Lycurgo) adds some new blood to the film, but again it is tossed aside for a more bland plot. Rowan loves Evan from afar and is terrified of showing him his love in case of rejection. On top of this, he’s unsure if Evan is even interested as a few female students also have their eyes set on him.
Things change once Rowan drinks his first taste of blood (which he steals from his uncle’s trailer fridge), he now has the confidence to display his love in full site, but will Evan reciprocate these feelings back on Rowan? This love story is fresher and interesting, but it doesn’t get enough screen time and that’s a shame.
Despite all this, the ensemble cast is worth watching throughout the nearly two-hour runtime. One outstanding player is Shaun Parkes (The Mummy Returns) plays the character Jared Copeleigh, The Radley’s ex-cop neighbour ( and the father of Evan) who suspects his neighbours aren’t the typical family. His paranoia flows evenly throughout the film, which may pique the audience’s interest. The Dynamic between his son, played by Jay Lycurgo (The Batman) adds an interesting subplot layer. Evan is concerned his father can’t come to terms with the loss of his wife, he’s become an obsessive person who spies on neighbours.
The film isn’t a bad film per se, but it just isn’t anything that has much to expand on the vampire film genre. It has great production a great cast, and an interesting premise, sadly it may get lost amongst other more compelling vampire tales.
The Radleys is one of those films that has many layers but gets muddled by the typical vampire bite. There are interesting concepts throughout, but they aren’t fully explored. The cast is one reason to hop on this Vampire train and hopefully lose yourself for two hours.
In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand October 4, 2024
