How Far Does the Dark Go? is a bewitching queer vampire movie that makes vampires sexy again. It also has strong performances by its two leads, and though the movie plays with familiar vampire rules and lore, it still feels fresh and exiting during its best sequences. The feature also isn't afraid to have campy good fun. There's a heck of a lot of heart in this indie feature by trans writer/director Bears Rebecca Fonté.
Set in Philadelphia, the film stars Anna Hindman as a morphine-addicted nurse named Grace. One day, a vampire, the utterly bewitching and moody Evienne (Chloe Carroll), shows up at her door. For whatever reason, Grace lets her in. Anyone who has seen a vamp movie knows this is bad news. Anna attempts to capture and tie up Evienne, after she nearly drains Grace, but of course, that doesn't work. Instead, Evienne kidnaps Grace.
Here's where the movie gets interesting. Evienne, who operates through underground subway tunnels throughout the city, needs Grace. She has a mortal son, Henry (Robert Picardo), dying of cancer. Because Grace is a nurse, Evienne essentially uses her powers to convince Grace to help her. Henry, meanwhile, refuses to turn immortal because he sees vampires as brute killers. The closer Grace gets to Evienne and falls for her, the more Henry warns her to stay away. Picardo, who has a long and storied acting career, in TV especially, serves the role quite well. He makes a good voice of reason.
That said, Carroll and Hindman are the real standouts here. Their characters' evolving and messy relationship grounds the film. it's at the center of everything, and Carroll and Hindman have steamy on-screen chemistry that sizzles. The feature contains plenty of drawn-out sexual scenes that shows the attraction between the characters and Evienne's powers. Carroll's performance comes across as both a seductive and deadly Gothic vampire queen, with a large black wardrobe and a means to bend mortals to her will.
Vampire movies have long been metaphors for addiction, and that's true in this film regarding Grace's personal struggles. There's more than one shot of her shooting morphine into her veins. However, compared to Evienne, who's actually given a layered backstory that explains why she has a mortal son, Grace's narrative feels a bit too flat. Still, that doesn't detract from Hindman's performance.
The rest of the cast is rounded out by Sam Rothermel, who plays Evienne's dangerous ex, Tempest, and Telita Perry, who plays Dayanara, a vigilante vampire slayer. Though their roles are limited, Perry and Rothermel do stand out. Perry's slayer character is all kinds of funny and campy, and Rothermel makes a good villain.
The film also has a killer soundtrack that's prominently featured. The music sets the mood, whether it's the bloody horror sequences or the erotic moments. It serves as another character within the film, as does Philly itself, constantly looming in the backround, with a dangerous underworld of vampires that roam the subways. As a Pennsylvania native and resident, who loves the City of Brotherly Love, I'm glad it's utilized well in this feature.
How Far Does the Dark Go? will likely find its audience. It's a seductive queer vampire movie with knockout performances by Hindman and Carroll especially. The leads humanize even the monstrous elements of their characters. This seductive indie feature has blood, guts, and heart.
How Far Does the Dark Go? premiered at the Queer Screams Film Festival on August 2.