Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

Starring: John C. Reilly, Chris Massoglia, Josh Hutcherson
Directed by: Paul Weitz (“American Dreamz”)
Written by: Paul Weitz (“American Dreamz”) and Brian Helgeland (“Mystic River”)

Part fantasy, part parody, “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” fails to introduce us to enough interesting characters to keep the story interesting. It’s unfortunate since the script is co-written by Oscar winner Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential”) and directed by Paul Weitz, who helmed the first “American Pie” and a great film in “About a Boy.” Here, the vampire narrative feel second rate in an era where everyone is trying to cash in on the folklore. Based on a series of books by Darren Shan, there’s really no reason to continue the vampire tween saga and try to outperform (at least in box office revenue) something as obsessively followed as “Twilight.”