Near Dark

Name: Near Dark
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Horror, Romance
Released: October 3, 1987
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Adrian Pasdar, Bill Paxton, Ed Corbett, Jenette Goldstein, Jenny Wright

1987

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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Near Dark

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Movie Details & Credits

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG) | Release Date: October 3, 1987 | R

Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Bill Paxton, Ed Corbett, Jenette Goldstein, Jenny Wright, Joshua John Miller, Kenny Call, Lance Henriksen, Marcie Leeds, Tim Thomerson

Summary: A small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Horror, Romance, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 94 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Rob Humanick

A romance, a western, and a totem to lost youth in an era ravaged by infection and addiction, it’s a high-water mark in a decade filled with exemplary genre fare. Borrowing from, and surpassing, the exceptional chemistry of Aliens’s tightly knit cast, the melancholic Near Dark is gorgeous even in its savagery, and one of pulp cinema’s greatest achievements. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

One regrets the pounding Muzak of Tangerine Dream, but this is on the whole a striking directorial debut, at once scary and erotic, with lots of sidelong touches in the casting, direction, and script . Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Western iconography, noir-ish lighting, and visceral horror are fused with an affecting love story in this stylish 'Vampire Western', which (unlike Bigelow's rather static debut feature The Loveless) is driven forward at a scorching pace, a subtle study in the seductiveness of evil and a terrifying ride to the edge of darkness. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Main point of interest will be the work of Bigelow, who has undoubtedly created the most hard-edged, violent actioner ever directed by an American woman. Read full review

Peter Travers

Bigelow's artful handling of the magic & menace of the night is hauntingly apparent.

Hal Hinson

It has extravagant, bloody thrills plus something else -- something that comes close to genuine emotion. Read full review

David Sterritt

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow with lots of dull spots, a few effectively intense moments, and as much gore as the monster genre usually calls for nowadays. Read full review

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User Reviews

Deanomite

Jul 18, 2020

This was excellent, it is like 70% The Terminator, the director of this was married to James Cameron at the time. Very well made, good script and excellent performances and production values all around.