Not one to pass up Irish movies or vampires, Boys From County Hell is directed by Chris Baugh (Tin Star.) He was joined by co-writer Brendan Mullin. Together Baugh and Mullin show that not everything dead and buried stays that way. In fact, this particular fabled relic of the dead is none other than a centuries-old Irish vampire, Abhartach. As a tourist drawcard, the local legend is that Abhartach inspired the story of Bram Stoker’s original Dracula. The story follows Eugene, an ordinary uninspired youth who lives in a small town.
He and his mates like to drink beer and scare the bejesus out of people who pass through with stories of local horror fables. Boys From County Hell runs in the same vein as horror comedies like What We Do In the Shadows except with much fewer vampires.
The laughs often come from the sheer absurdity of the situation at hand. This motley crew of friends and Eugenes’ dad’s construction crew offers up the type of bumbling heroism you would expect in a story like this. In this instance, some of it works and some of it just doesn’t hit the intended heart of the craic.
The Cast of Boys From County Hell
With a cast of familiar faces like Jack Rowan (Peaky Blinders), Nigel O’Neill (Game of Thrones), Louisa Harland (Derry Girls), Fra Fee (Les Misérables), and John Lynch (The Terror), it’s easy to follow and just as easy to watch.
Suddenly, the ancient cairn built for Abhartach is destroyed. While Eugene and his friends ponder the end of their days playing scare-the-tourist, a bigger problem arises. The stories they all grew up on become decidedly less fantastic. The vampire folklore is true and now they must fend for their lives.
The Cast of Boys From County Hell movie overall doesn’t pack the wanton furious pace you would expect. It does have quite a few highs, however. Among the good is the opening scene which packs a bloody punch. In addition, a lighthearted approach to vampire slaying and some new vampire rules give the whole affair a memorable thread.
The gore and effects are handled exceptionally well as is the cinematography. On the downside, even though many of us cinephiles beg for character development, Boys of County Hell spends too much time in this area. Francie and Eugene’s relationship takes up most of the screen time. While most of us are waiting for more vampire appearances and attacks the conversational developments between this father and son show what the storyline thought was more important.
Vampire Movies With A Twist
Fortunately, when this Irish vampire movie eventually does make an appearance, Abhartach is worth the wait.
I give Boys From County Hell
3.5 needs more dragons out of 5
Irish Vampire Mythos
Of particular interest, Boys From County Hell is very much a fictional tale surrounded by a very real concrete slab in Northern Ireland. The slab is rumored to house a significantly legendary Irish King who just happens to be called Abartach. It’s also certainly in a real place called Leacht Abatach. The Irish vampire king was said to have returned to the clan he resided in after his death demanding blood. That is bowls and bowls of blood. He was eventually reburied several times until a thick slab of concrete was placed on top to ensure he could not return.
Boys From County Hell Movie Review
But Where Can I Stream Boys From County Hell?
Boys From County Hell can be seen at 2020’s Celluloid Screams and the Belfast Film Festival. The film has been acquired by Shudder for distribution with a release date to be revealed soon. Keep an eye on the Shudder Facebook page for more details. Boys From County Hell was featured at Nightstream on October 10th, 2020 after its premiere at Tribeca.
Mother of Movies acquired Boys From County Hell as part of the press for the, particularly brilliant Nightstream Film Festival.
- This vampire movie was Written and directed by Chris Baugh.
- Produced by Six Mile Hill Productions.
- Starring: Morgan C. Jones, Marty Maguire, Nigel O’Neill, Michael Hough, Louisa Harland, and Jack Rowan.
