Nearly two decades removed, Josh Hartnett’s cult horror film 30 Days of Night might honestly be one of the most underrated movies in the entire vampire genre. Following his roles in films like Oppenheimer and M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, it feels like Josh Hartnett is enjoying a little bit of a renaissance, though he has been continuously working for the better part of three decades. Given that Hartnett’s fame is greater than it has been since his early 2000s days, it’s worth looking back on some of his more underrated projects.
Over his career, Josh Hartnett has had some fantastic horror movies and shows, with some being classics in their own right. Some feel a bit underrated, including The Faculty and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, which is one of the best movies in the Halloween franchise. Alongside those, 30 Days of Night is another underrated horror film of his that has gone on to become a cult favorite within the vampire genre.
30 Days Of Night Was Critically Panned
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Released on October 19, 2007, 30 Days of Night was met with less than stellar reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, 30 Days of Night currently sits at a 50% critic rating and a 56% audience rating, which is not great on either front. Some common criticisms of the film include characters lacking depth, some uneven execution, and not feeling like it completely utilized the premise it set up. Even still, the tepid reviews from both critics and audiences haven’t stopped 30 Days of Night from gaining a cult following over the years.
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In terms of the box office, 30 Days of Night could be seen as a modest financial success. The film made $80 million on a $30 million budget, and its post-theatrical life on home video brought in another $28 million. Despite making decent money, 30 Days of Night never truly became a massive franchise, with a handful of lower-budget TV projects acting as sequels. Still, the financial success meant there was always an audience for the film in some capacity.
Why 30 Days Of Night Deserves Way More Credit
While 30 Days of Night might not have been a mega-hit at the time of its release, it deserves way more credit as a very good horror movie in its own right. In fact, it could very well be considered one of the most underrated vampire movies of all time. What helps 30 Days of Night stand out in the genre is its premise and setting. As Barrow, Alaska begins its 30-day-long polar night (no sun), it is taken over by vampires, setting the stage for a cold, dark, and dreary film that is tense and loaded with atmosphere.
Few vampire movies take advantage of a setting that allows vampires to be out and about, and thankfully 30 Days of Night leans into that idea.
Alongside the stellar premise, the cast is very good, with Josh Hartnett’s performance being a particular standout as Sheriff Eben Oleson, the main character throughout the film. 30 Days of Night is a bleak film, and Hartnett really sells the dread that everyone must be feeling given the circumstances. Few vampire movies take advantage of a setting that allows vampires to be out and about, and thankfully 30 Days of Night leans into that idea, never really letting up the tension throughout the film.
30 Days Of Night Actually Has A Future, Thankfully
While 30 Days of Night wasn’t the mega-success that it should have been, there were two TV shows and a TV movie that were included as part of the franchise, but nothing substantial as no other theatrical films were made. For years, it seemed like 30 Days of Night would just be a product of its time, but recent news suggests that there is still some life left in the franchise. In October 2024, it was announced that 30 Days of Night would be getting another official sequel, this time in graphic novel form.
30 Days of Night: Falling Sun could retcon the two TV shows and TV movie that are part of the 30 Days of Night franchise, cleaning the slate for future installments.
Given that the original 30 Days of Night movie was its own adaptation of the comic book miniseries of the same name, published by IDW Publishing, it makes sense that they would eventually revisit, this time making a sequel to the film instead of the numerous comic-book sequels they have already made to the original miniseries. Titled 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun, it is just one title in a new initiative by IDW Publishing that will see comic books for a variety of movie and TV franchises, including A Quiet Place, Smile, and The Twilight Zone.
30 Days of Night is painfully underrated as a vampire film, but it deserves to be looked back on fondly. With Josh Hartnett enjoying a career resurgence, who knows if there will ever be another film sequel to 30 Days of Night, although the ending leaves little room for Hartnett’s return. Even still, it is definitely worth watching and deserves its place alongside some of the best films in the vampire genre.