Vampires vs the Bronx (Movie Review)

It's spooky season boys and girls, so you can expect to see a bunch of horror-themed movies hitting theaters (the ones that are open) and the various streaming platforms leading up to Halloween. And Netflix seems to be the first horse out of that particular starting gate, with the release of the supernatural comedy, Vampires vs. the Bronx. Produced by Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live fame, the film is a not-quite-kid-friendly adventure romp featuring, you guessed it, kids.

The film centers upon three boys living in the Bronx: Miguel (Jaden Michael), Bobby (Gerald W. Jones III) and Luis (Gregory Diaz IV). Miguel is trying to save the bodega where they normally hang out from having to close down, by throwing a party to help its owner, Tony (Joel Martinez), raise enough money to pay the new rent. While Bobby is doing his best not to follow in his late father's footsteps, by avoiding getting mixed up with a clique of neighborhood thugs trying to recruit him. 

Luis on the other hand is simply happy to do what any boy his age would do, play video games and geek out about comic books. Except things take a decidedly darker turn for the three boys when a group of vampires start buying up properties in their neighborhood. Now it is left to the boys to rally up their friends and families in a bid to fight off the vampires and win back their neighborhood.

Vampires vs. the Bronx lives up to its title, even though it doesn't really set out to do much else. It offers way more laughs than actual scares, which is why I'd refrain from calling it a full-blown horror film. The film is clearly geared towards a younger audience, so the decision shouldn't really come as a surprise. But at least most of those laughs were quality ones, even though most of it is highly dependent on known stereotypes.

Its social commentary can also feel a bit heavy-handed at times, but that should be par for the course with these types of movies. Comparisons to films like Attack the Block are also unavoidable. Both movies feature a group of kids trying to protect their neighborhoods from supernatural forces, even though that one was clearly geared towards a more mature audience. It is also the more superior film in my opinion, since it never had to sacrifice scares for laughs.

I know it might sound like Vampires vs. the Bronx is a film that isn't worth checking out, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy my time with the movie. I felt like it was just what it needed to be, a fun diversion as we all start to get into the spirit of spooky season. So it earns an easy recommendation from me, to anyone looking to have a few laughs over the course of a relatively lighthearted adventure.