Horror films often depict their monsters as the outcasts of society. Most iconically, this was done in Frankenstein when the torch-wielding villagers angrily chase Frankenstein’s monster through the town, but many modern examples of this exist too. In its best examples, these depictions have social commentary and put a spotlight on a discriminated group of people. In So Vam, we see the LGBTQ community rise up against its bullies under the guise of a teen vampire film, and it’s a celebration of individuality told through the eyes of the undead.
Kurt is an aspiring drag queen and bullied at his high school for being gay. He doesn’t have many friends and longs for a different life outside of the small, conservative town where he lives with his father. One day, a vampire tries to kill Kurt, but he’s rescued at the last second by a gang of vampires who turn him into one of their own in order to save his life. Unlike the evil vampire who harmed Kurt, however, these vampires have one agenda: to prey upon people who are bigots. Through the help of this gang, Kurt begins to feel acceptance and belonging, and he hopes to find the vampire who harmed him in order to prevent him from creating more hate-filledl vampires or harming anyone else.
So Vam was written and directed by Alice Maio Mackay, who is a 17-year-old transgender filmmaker from Australia. She brings a fresh voice to a somewhat familiar-feeling storyline and it serves as a unique addition to horror films that celebrate the LGBTQ community. Considering her age, the film is a triumph that draws from her own personal experience to inspire people to stand up against bullying and defy the norms. While this is worthy of praise, it could have been even bolder in its execution at times and had more fun with its subject matters. The film is bookended by drag performances, for example, and it would have been nice to see the drag queens incorporated more throughout — especially considering how Kurt aspires to be one. Instead, that aspect of the film goes on the backburner and isn’t visited again until much later, after the audience has nearly forgotten his dream.
Another aspect of the film that doesn’t quite work is the acting. The majority of the actors fall flat in their performances the majority of the time. While the deadpan delivery works well for some of the vampires, there are times when Kurt needs to emote strongly, and dramatic scenes with him fighting with his dad, for instance, feel underwhelming and nonconsequential as a result. Some of the dialogue also seems awkward and doesn’t help matters. Other times, the script seems too focused on characters discussing the “rules” of this particular brand of vampire rather than moving the story forward (they can go out in the sunlight, they can still die, etc.). Furthermore, while the film is short with snappy pacing, the final act of the film ends up becoming messy, rushed, and somewhat confusing at times.
Nevertheless, So Vam is a decent-looking, solid excursion into what it means to be an outcast in the midst of opposition, all while coming to terms with oneself. While it has the essence of a young adult novel (think “gay Twilight with cooler sparkly vampires”), some younger horror fans not looking for hardcore scares might enjoy it. Check it out when it comes out on Shudder August 23rd.
—Andrea Riley