From Dusk Til Dawn the Series

 Well I betcha didn't see this one coming.

So one of my favourite movies from the 90's get's the tv treatment and in a shocking twist it isn't actually all that bad. I have to admit when I first heard that this was happening my initial reaction was, like most people I expect... Why?

Let's be honest as awesome as the movie was the last thing I thought after watching it was 'man this would make an awesome tv show', let alone a series of needless sequels. Anyhow let's compare shall we...

Plot. The basic premise remains the same although fleshing out a 90 minute movie into 10 hour long episodes does give it a kind of 'episode of the week' feel. By elaboration I imagine the initial plot drafts going something like this. "Ok so episode 1 can be set in the store from the beginning of the movie, heck maybe stretch 2 episodes out of it if we can. Then we can go to the motel for the next one, then we can hijack the RV, spend an episode in the RV, cross the border and then when we get to the Titty Twister spend an episode there then we can unleash the vamps"

 Cast. The casting is actually pretty spot on, with everyone bringing something to the table. The Gecko brothers (played here by D.J Cotrona and Zane Holtz) are both likable and dangerous and while Cotrona is no Clooney, Holtz makes a far more convincing psychopath than Tarantino. The Fullers are led by Robert Patrick who replaces Harvey Keitel as the family's religious patriarch and Don Johnson is epic in his small but important role. Eiza Gonzales brings the sexy as Santanica Pandemonium whose role in the series is greatly expanded from Salma Hayek's brief but memorable take.

SFX. The vamps look good, with 18 years of effects technology compensating for the smaller budget (counting for inflation at least). Oh wait, only they aren't vampires now they're snake demons but they die just like vampires so it's all good. The practical effects are great and although there is of course the obligatory crap C.G.I. it doesn't detract too much from the guts and gore.

In all fairness this could have sucked big time but what we are given is a thoroughly entertaining ride that captures the Grindhouse feel of the original and instead of crapping over its much-loved source material instead treats it with a well-deserved reverence. To put it bluntly, if you enjoyed the movie then odds are you will enjoy this and if you didn't then well you have no taste and I don't care what you think.