Arguably, the 2000s produced some of the best movies in the genre. It saw a growth in popularity, especially among the teen demographics. The 1990s laid a strong foundation for the subgenre growth with its infusion of comedy in film and television productions such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Alongside witches, vampires have dominated the horror genre for centuries. Although a growing number of the genre’s audiences argue that it has watered down from its true horror, over the years, the horror genre remains one of the leading Box Office earners in Hollywood. In revisiting one of the genre’s earliest popular decades, here are the 9 best vampire movies of the 2000s.
Dracula 2000
Kicking the ball rolling is the gothic horror Dracula 2000, released on December 22, 2000. As the name signifies, Dracula 2000’s plot revolves around a reawakened Count Dracula (Gerard Butler), who’s in search of Abraham Van Helsing’s (Christopher Plummer) daughter, Mary Heller (Justine Waddell). The movie follows a fictional original story of Dracula as Apostle Judas Iscariot. Dracula 2000 was a critical and commercial failure at the time but is often referenced as one of Dracula-based vampire movies.
Underworld
The Underworld film series was one of the most popular vampire movies of the 2000s. The first movie was released in 2003, introducing the Death Dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale). The movie’s background story follows centuries of war between vampires and lycans (an ancient werewolf species). As a Death Dealer, Selene encounters Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), a medical student who the lycans are hunting. Underworld was followed up with a sequel, Underworld: Evolution, in 2006. It was followed by a prequel, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, in 2009. Although critics generally panned the film series, they were Box Office successes.
30 Days of Night
Although it wasn’t as popular as the Underworld film series, 30 Days of Night was unarguably one of the best vampire movies of the 2000s. Danny Huston played Marlow, the leader of a group of vampires. The movie is set in Barrow (now Utqiaġvik), Alaska, which experiences a month-long polar night. As the vampires attack the town under the protection of darkness, the people fight for survival.
Blade II
With the success of Blade (1998), the 2002 Blade II was a worthy sequel. Guillermo del Toro was hired as its director with Wesley Snipes, reprising the role of Eric Brooks/Blade. Based on the Marvel Comics character, Blade II received mixed reviews from critics. However, it was a box-office success. It grossed $155 million on a $54 million budget.
Van Helsing
In Stephen Sommers’ 2004 action horror film Van Helsing, Kate Beckinsale isn’t a vampire but a hunter. She’s joined by Hugh Jackman, who portrays Gabriel Van Helsing. Together, they battle Count Vladislaus Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) and his brides, Verona (Silvia Colloca), Marishka (Josie Maran), and Aleera (Elena Anaya). Although audiences had better ratings for the movie, Van Helsing received generally negative approval ratings from critics.
Daybreakers
Michael and Peter Spierig’s science fiction action horror Daybreakers is set in a dystopian future where a plague has turned most of the population into vampires. As the human race edges toward extinction, a vampire hematologist, Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), works to develop a blood substitute to save both vampires and humans. However, he becomes embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy while trying to find a cure for vampirism. Daybreakers also starred Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill. The movie had mixed critical reviews and moderate Box Office earnings.
Thirst
Park Chan-wook’s South Korean horror movie Thirst revolves around Fr. Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a devoted Catholic priest. Sang-hyun chose to volunteer to help find a vaccine for a deadly virus. However, he becomes a vampire when the experiment goes awry. As Sang-hyun struggles with his new identity and insatiable thirst for blood, he becomes romantically involved with Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the abused wife of his childhood friend.
Let the Right One In
Let the Right One In was one of the underrated vampire/horror movies of the 2000s. Chances are that many movie viewers never heard of it. Let the Right One In is a Swedish romantic horror movie that follows Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a lonely 12-year-old boy who befriends Eli (Lina Leandersson), a mysterious young vampire girl. Set in the bleak winter of 1980s Stockholm, Let the Right One In is a haunting and tender exploration of the burgeoning relationship between the two young protagonists.
Twilight
The Twilight franchise has been one of the biggest vampire movies of the 21st century. The film series was introduced in 2008 and was a massive Box Office hit. Despite having average ratings, the first installment grossed $408.4 million on a $37 million budget. The Twilight movies literally turned Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson to Hollywood stars.
Its 2009 sequel, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, was also released in the 2000s and was a bigger Box Office success. The franchise produced three other sequels that were released in the 2010s. Twilight single-handedly created a new generation of vampire movie audiences. If you enjoyed reading about these 9 best vampire movies of the 2000s, read the top 6 Cartoon Network shows that shaped the 2000s.
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