MTV Review: Byzantium

UK Release Date: May 31 2013

Cert: 15

Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes

Cast: Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Riley, Jonny Lee Miller, Daniel Mays, Caleb Landry Jones

Director: Neil Jordan

Plot: The story is about 200-year old blood-sucking vampires living a life of prostitution, seeking refuge in different locations as they try run from their deadly past. The film follows the lives of single mother Clara (Arterton) who is trying to raise her daughter Eleanor (Ronan).

Clara seeks money in the only way she knows, stripping and prostitution. Eleanor is a quiet, deep individual who avoids her mother’s lifestyle by confiding in her diary so to avoid revealing their secret. In each town they need to survive off human blood so when the residents  become suspicious, they go on the run to the next location. But soon the seedy dark past in the form of ‘The Brotherhood’ catches up with them.

The struggling single mother Clara will go to any lengths to protect her daughter but can she really hold onto her for eternity?

Best Scene: No scene really sticks out in mind but the ones of Gemma ‘working’ in the strip club are rather memorable.

Best One Liner: The old man says to Eleanor in the beginning of the movie : “There comes a time in life when secrets should be told” and so the plot unravels.

Date Movie or Mate Movie: If you are a couple that enjoy a good blood-sucking vampire movie the this is the film for you, but we'd recommend you see this one with your mates.

Scene Stealer: Not anyone in particular, but  Saoirse's portrayal of Eleanor offered a very convincing performance.

WTF moment: The way in which these vampires kill people isn’t the traditional fang toothed love bite giving a unique twist on the well-known vampire legends.

MTV Rating:

By Meghann Scully @mtvuknews