Vampires vs. the Bronx was one of the many overlooked gems that had the misfortune of dropping in 2020. Its fanbase is still growing mostly via word of mouth. That’s why I am here to boost a movie that does not need me or this Run It Back column anymore. However, I’m using this platform to ensure you know there is a cool, fun, POC-led PG-13 horror comedy on Netflix. It‘s not too late to add it to your Halloween plans. Or, most importantly, use it as a gateway horror for the kids in your life. 

Vampires vs. the Bronx is exactly what it sounds like, but smarter than you would expect. It obviously does come down to a Bronx community battling the undead. However, filmmaker Oz Rodriguez uses these bloodsuckers to explore gentrification and the importance of community. While they still kill people, one of the main concerns is that they are also culture vultures intent on drinking the lifeblood from this New York borough. If you have kids not old enough for Sinners, you can still have those vampire-led conversations with this film.

Rodriquez and co-writer Blaise Hemingway use humor to explore this alarming trend. They clock how white folks move into these spaces and immediately begin to change the status quo. The bodega starts carrying oat milk, and the neighborhood staples begin disappearing as owners receive offers they cannot afford to turn down. Then, before you know it, rent increases start to drive out the people who make the area feel like home.

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The film follows a trio of neighborhood kids led by Miguel Martinez (Jaden Michael). Miguel has earned the nickname “The Little Mayor” because he is very invested in his community, even at his young age. He and his friends Bobby Carter (Gerald W. Jones III) and Luis Acosta (Gregory Diaz IV) are experiencing the growing pains of youthful friendships and are beginning to drift apart. However, when Little Mayor figures out the random occurrences in the neighborhood are because of vampire activity, they come together long enough to rewatch Blade and gather tips to deal with this evil. 

Where many movies would lean too far into the coming-of-age moments playing out inVampires vs. the Bronx, this script actually has jokes. When Miguel goes in for the kiss with Rita (Coco Jones), the neighborhood girl who helps them defeat the vampires, it bypasses the tropey romance. It gets another laugh from the audience and reminds us this is not your typical tween horror movie. Helping find the jokes in the supporting cast are Father Jackson (Method Man), Andre (Chris Redd), and Tony (The Kid Mero). Each is a character many of us who grew up in POC communities are all too familiar with. They are very Bronx-coded for this film, but remain universal figures. They are not only the tapestry of the city neighborhoods that raised plenty of us, but they also help flesh out this world.

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One of the many things to love about Vampires vs. the Bronx is that it gets what intersectionality looks like. It understands that Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino identities are varied, no matter how colorism continues to beat this industry’s ass. It also understands that the right parts of New York are the actual melting pots people pretend they have experienced. The movie refuses to paint all the Black and Brown characters with one brush stroke. The film instead utilizes these various identities to move the plot forward and earn a couple of chuckles. Whether it is the different family dynamics for each of our main trio, or laughing as Rita immediately accepts their story about vampires. She explains, “We’re Haitian, man. My grandma’s been preparing me for this my entire life.” 

Too many movies still default to white main characters and miss these cool avenues. They shove POC characters to the sidelines and never appreciate how other cultures would handle things differently. Vampires vs. the Bronx refuses to do that and instead celebrates that. It knows representation is important, and that is part of its thesis. That’s also why the film works so well. It knows who it is made for and is unashamedly in love with that audience.

They also get that today’s kids need to be seen on all levels. So, while it’s doing the work with casting, it’s also acknowledging that social media is not going away. Many movies still have characters give giant exposition dumps and perform monologues to catch the audience up. Instead of doing it in the most boring ways, Vampires vs. the Bronx gives us Gloria (Imani Lewis). She’s the neighborhood gossip, but she does it online and is a funny player who remains just outside of the action. She reads the main characters for filth as she moves us through the story. Gloria is one of the most engaging takes on this stock character I have ever seen. I would watch her narrate the drama for another three movies easily.

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Another thing I appreciate about Vampires vs. the Bronx is how it acknowledges the women in this world should be feared. Our main trio are guys, and so are many key players. However, Rita and Gloria hold court often. We see how afraid the boys are of their mothers and grandmothers and we even find out the lead vampire is a vicious woman. We all knew Vivian (Sarah Gadon) was a vampire, but when she reveals that she is the boss with the plan, it’s a moment. Again, the movie knows intersectionality is a gift to stories and even remembers that regarding gender. 

I’ve been yelling that Vampires vs. the Bronx would make a killer double feature with Attack the Block for a few years now. Both films have devastating character deaths, actors we love to see, and a strong commentary about communities and outsiders. However, they are both their own important moments. I highly recommend watching them back-to-back and living your best life. Representation matters, and I wish these type of movies were being greenlit when I was a kid. However, it warms my dead little heart that newer generations don’t have to just imagine what it would look like to see POC kids drive cool movies. 

Summary

[Vampires vs. the Bronx] knows representation is important, and that is part of its thesis. That’s also why the film works so well. It knows who it is made for and is unashamedly in love with that audience.

Categorized: Reviews