Salem’s Lot (2024) Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Not counting a poorly received 1987 sequel—A Return to Salem’s Lot—Salem’s Lot represents the third incarnation of Stephen King’s 1975 horror novel of the same title.

Bill Pullman’s son Lewis assumes the role of novelist Ben Mears who has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot,  his hometown, to overcome a case of writer’s block by tackling an account of his childhood in this small Maine village. Ben meets and begins dating Susan Norton (Mackenzie Leigh).  Mark Petrie (Jonathan Preston Carter), a bullied high school student who will become a major player in this film, is fascinated by supernatural characters, as evidenced by the exhibits that crowd his bedroom. Richard Straker (Pilou Asbaek), a foreigner, is about to open the town’s first antique store. He has moved into the “haunted” Marsten House that soon receives a large coffin containing vampire Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward).

Ralphie Glick (Cade Woodward), one of Mark’s classmates, becomes Barlow’s first victim, followed by his brother Danny (Nicholas Crovetti). Later, Danny rises from his grave and bites gravedigger Mike Ryerson (Spencer Treat Clark). Matt Burke (Bill Camp), a high school teacher, sees a sickly Mike at the town tavern and brings him to his house with plans to take get him medical care the following day. However, Mike apparently dies during night and is examined by Dr. Cody (Alfre Woodard). Danny ‘s failed attempt to enter Mark’s house, prompts his former friend to investigate methods for vampire slaying.

Dr. Cody is told that Ralphie and Danny’s mother Majorie Glick (Danielle Perry) has been found dead. Matt who informs her, Ben and Susan that vampires are cropping up over town and can be defeated. Matt and Mark sneak into the Marsten mansion  to kill Barlow but this ends poorly as the vampire bites Matt and Straker locks Mark in the basement. As the vampire population rapidly increases, Mark escapes, kills Straker and joins Ben, Susan, and Dr. Cody at the town church to consult the priest Father Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey). Sheriff Gillespie (William Sadler) tries to flee the town, as Ben and Mark make a final, desperate effort before sunset to destroy all the town’s vampires that include the now-bitten Susan and Barlow before they can leave Salem’s Lot.

Author King was clearly influenced by Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula and successfully transferred vampire lore to a small Maine town. Television adaptations of his book have received mixed reviews, led by the 1979 mini-series featuring David Soul, Lance Kerwin, and James Mason and the subsequent 2004 mini-series starring Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, and Rutger Hauer.  Unfortunately, this most recent effort, timed for the Hallowe’en season, is an even weaker adaptation by writer-director Gary Dauberman. With the exception of screen veterans Bill Camp and Alfre Woodard, none of the remaining cast members generate the kind of interest essential to make this a worthwhile watch. Some of the blame can be attributed to Dauberman’s lukewarm script that even this film’s more contemporary special effects cannot overcome. Given this production’s fairly long two-year development period, the lack of the star power of its predecessors fails to generate the kind of horror-vibe gasps that make the 1979 original a clear choice for viewers who would like to experience this eerie story for the first time or revisit it for the umpteenth time.

Salem’s Lot (2024) is streaming now on Max

• Rating Certificate: R (for bloody violence and language)
• Studios & Distributors: New Line Cinema | Atomic Monster | Vertigo Entertainment | The Wolper Organization/Warner Brothers
• Country: USA
• Language: English
• Run Time: 114 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Director: Gary Dauberman
• Written By: Gary Dauberman
• Release Date: 3 October 2024