Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem's Lot only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.
The 2024 Salem's Lot remake struggles to justify its existence alongside the beloved 1979 miniseries and the source novel. The plot faithfully adapts King's story but pacing issues plague the theatrical cut, leaving character development thin and tension diffuse. Acting is serviceable with competent performances but no one elevates the material significantly. Cinematography has some atmospheric moments with decent use of shadow and rural decay but nothing particularly distinctive. As a remake of well-trodden material with a fairly standard modern horror visual language, novelty is low. The ending feels rushed and unsatisfying, failing to deliver the climactic catharsis the buildup promises.