I love this movie so much

Good movie but grossly overrated

Absolutely the worst movie.

Absolutely Fantastic

I saw this on live TV either the year it came out or the following year. This one moved me. Unlike any other film I have ever seen. Only negative is it left me wanting more. Masterfully filmed, written and the acting is top notch. This is a powerful story of female vampires or revenant beings who do not age. What I loved about this film is how it felt like watching two films side by side one that takes place centuries ago in the past and another in modern day. I was fascinated by the unique approach the creators chose to explain how a revenant is made.

Byzantium follows two female vampires who move to a new place to live, when the youngest of them meets a boy who falls in love with her. Yeah, another young adult vampire romance story. Oh joy. It is more mature though, so maybe it's more of a mature young adult vampire romance story. Regardless of the bad reputation of it's oddly specific genre, it's not at all a bad movie. The characters are pretty likable, and for the most part well developed. I didn't care much for the boy, Frank, though. He was kind of annoying. Otherwise it's an interesting take on vampires. I didn't like how it didn't follow the classic vampire rules, but what movie does nowadays?Like I already said, I didn't like Frank. He was kind of weird and out-of-place, but oh well. On top of that, I didn't think the two love interests had much chemistry or relationship development. They kind of just fell in love, and I didn't realize it until they started kissing. The girl is actually pretty mean to the guy for most of the movie, yet they still fell in love. Overall Byzantium is a good movie. While there are small flaws, there are good things too. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough to like to bump it up any higher. It's just a decent movie, not much to like or dislike really. In the end I'd still recommend this movie.

Neil Jordan's Byzantium stars Gemma Arterton and Saorise Ronan as two-hundred year-old mother and daughter vampires who are trying to survive in an English coastal town. They're on the lam after the mother, Clara, played by Arterton, falls foul of her strip club employees and kills a mysterious man whom she is pursued by in a thrilling chase near the start of the film. On the coastal town, a series of flashbacks offer insight into the story of these two girls, telling how they became undead and revealing the source of Clara's fears and paranoia. Eleanor, her daughter, wants to tell their story and cannot contain her thoughts, so endeavours to write her experiences down on paper. When her sanity and safety is questioned by a college lecturer, danger and panic ensues along with their past catching up. This is a vampire film that establishes some of its own rules and avoids many of the known tropes of the genre. Daylight isn't a problem for these creatures, whilst, in place of fangs, a talon-like thumbnail is used to pierce the wrists of willing participants or be throttled into the necks of victims and foes. A novel approach, although the film is too self-aware on occasions, but is played entirely straight and with much style and atmosphere. Arterton is terrific here, impressing once again with an assertive, sexy performance, which plays in contrast to the soft-spoken Ronan, whose Eleanor is gentle and introspective. The primary cast is small, but also includes Jonny Lee Miller, seen in flashback as syphilitic creep, whose actions are pivotal to the story. Daniel Mays, as a grief- stricken sap, whom Clara plays on for her and Eleanor's benefit. And Caleb Landry Jones, as a young waiter whom Eleanor befriends. At times, this is an invigorating and exciting film, although it's free of genuine scares. The blood does flow thick and occasionally fast, with the emphasis on mood and the telling of an intriguing story emphasised over creating scares. Unfortunately, this is dashed by a slightly contrived and obvious climax that works, if only just. Byzantium does some new things for the vampire film, but won't be considered revolutionary or pivotal in doing so. Whilst it's unlikely to find the audience numbers of the Twilight films or more generic crowd-pleasers. But this is a worthwhile and involving film that suffers a few plot holes too many, but is largely satisfying. Especially with such fine performances by the two splendid female leads.

I came across this movie on Netflix streaming, it caught my attention for Saoirse Ronan who is such an accomplished young actress. The Vampire genre isn't very high on my list but I went into this one with an open mind. I was rewarded handsomely. The story spanning a bit more than 200 years from 1804 to present day is in itself interesting and well-told. The story-telling approach is to let us know early what is going on in present day, and that these characters are over 200 years old and must live on fresh blood. But the complete story of how all this came to be is unfolded only very gradually until at the end we know everything we need to know.But to me the best part of the movie are the cinematography, the musical score, and the many expertly done scenes throughout the movie. Each one of them is a work of art and when it is all said and done a very gripping movie.Saoirse Ronan stars as Eleanor and she carries the movie well. Her constant companion is Gemma Arterton as Clara. Early on something happens that causes them to leave town in a hurry and end up in a seaside village in England. (Filming was done in both England and Ireland). Eleanor and Clara are opposites of sorts, while Clara shamelessly seduces men and brings them to a secluded location to take them, Eleanor has a more gentle approach and only takes those who are otherwise ready to depart this life.The third character I will mention is young Texan Caleb Landry Jones as Frank, a boy with Leukemia who befriends Eleanor. The young man has an unusual look about him that fits very well with the overall story and his acting in this role is super.SPOILERS: Clara is actually Eleanor's mother, impregnated when as a teen was forced into prostitution. She was supposed to kill the newborn but couldn't bring herself to do it and sneaked the baby to a religious orphanage, her note requesting that the baby be told her mother was dead. All that happened in 1804, and in ensuing years both got with a Vampire clan that resulted in their being turned, and they forever were to appear the age that happened. In the end Eleanor helped Frank on the remote island and her voice-over is, "I am Eleanor Webb. I throw my story to the wind and never will I tell it more. Another one begins. "