Online only: 30 Days of Night (R) Grade: A

It's hard to find a horror movie these days that can appeal to viewers by simply being scary, as newer films seem more focused on producing lots of blood than scaring people. Fortunately, we now have "30 Days of Night," a movie that is equally gory and frightening. Very frightening.\nThe story takes place in Barrow, Ala., where the sun does not rise for 30 days during the winter. Before sunset this year, town sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) is responding to reports of strange crimes. A bunch of cell phones are found stolen and burned. Kennels of sleigh dogs are found slaughtered. The town's utilidor has been tampered with, and the town's only helicopter has been destroyed.\nMeanwhile, a stranger (Ben Foster) has come into town spewing warnings that 'they' are coming, how 'they' can't be stopped, and how the townspeople should hide and bar their windows and doors. \nHe's referring, of course, to the vampiric creatures that emerge from the darkness after sunset. These ruthless vampires prove to be formidable foes, as they attack swiftly and can only be killed by sunlight or an axe to the head. They begin attacking people and can't seem to be stopped. The few people who escape make their way to an abandoned attic hideout, where they must figure out a way to survive the remaining days of darkness.\nConsidering how tired the vampire genre can be to horror buffs, "30 Days of Night" comes as a scary good surprise. The vampires, with their spasmodic blood-sucking and piercing wails, are truly terrifying. The acting is generally good. Lead vampire Marlow (Danny Huston), with a cock of his head and an inquisitive look on his face, drives fear into anyone who meets his black eyes. Director David Slade does a fantastic job creating a horrific environment, as the viewer must endure feelings of intense and constant terror throughout the movie. But the movie's biggest strength is how it doesn't rely solely on gore to scare viewers; much of the horror can be attributed to the vicious monsters that seemingly can't be defeated. Every scene in which someone is on the move is intense because of the feeling given off that they can't escape the vampires. It's very convincing and effective. \nSo if you're looking for a good fright flick this Halloween, you'll be hard-pressed to find one scarier than "30 Days of Night".