There’s an exuberance to director Jason Flemyng’s directorial debut that the excellent cast (including Freema Agyeman, Eve Myles, Charlie Cox, Dexter Fletcher and Mackenzie Crook) pick up and run with. They all look like they’re having so much fun, it’s impossible not to be carried along.

The simple tale of vampires being hunted by a crack team of Vatican soldiers during their regular 50-year council meeting hides a multitude of fun world-building and satirical digs. Nigel Farage would no doubt bust a blood vessel at the thought of EU quotas for the slaughter of humans!

You could argue that Flemyng throws too much at the wall to see what sticks, but with some nice physical comedy, some barely concealed digs at the Tories and a few fun characters (Tony Curran’s surly Scottish vamp is a hoot), more than enough of it works. Even Billy Cook’s slightly irritating cockney wide boy eventually breaks through the annoyance barrier with his cheeky chappie charm. Reviewed by Matt Chapman

INFO:
Release: 1 September 2017
From: The Movie Partnership
Format: Theatrical Release
Age Rating: 15