Vampire Academy - Something old, Something new

Well, I didn't get a vampire movie last year, so I was a little excited yet very hesitant to watch Vampire Academy because from the previews, it looked like Buffy 2014.  It wasn't quite as cheesy as Buffy, but it came extremely close.  This vampire movie had a lot of the same old myths and legends about vampires, and it also had a lot of new twists.

In this movie, based on yet another vampire book series, there's a royal family of vampires known as the Moroi who rule over the vampire race and are protected by half-breeds known as the Dhampir.  The Dhampir protect the Moroi from and evil race of vampires known as Strigoi.  After a car accident and a year on the run, the princess Lissa and her Dhampir-in-training and star of the show, Rose, return to Vampire Academy to continue learning about their different roles; figure out who's bullying them and who's trying to harm Lissa.

Rose is played by Zoe Deutch.  She's funny and flirty in this movie.  While her acting chops are the best in the bunch which isn't saying much, she's really the glue holding this messy movie together.  I don't mean "messy" because it's bloody, but more because the acting is bad and the storyline is  overdone and EXTREMELY predictable.   Rose is tough, a bit high strung, but cunning, and horny...ya know...a typical 17 year old girl.  But, Zoe really does save the movie.  

Lissa is played by Lucy Fry, an Australian actress with a wide mouth that disturbed me a bit.  Her acting was subpar, but her character was cute and kinda lovable.  Lissa not only has to deal with the death of her family, being next in line to the throne, bullies, and love, but she also has to deal with her new powers.  These vampires can control fire, water, air, people's minds, and can heal, like bring people back from the brink of death.  But, the mind control is a big deal at the Vampire Academy, and Lissa uses it to her advantage, i.e. being more popular.

This movie isn't terrible just really amateur.  I actually kind of liked it.  Any pre-teen, teen, or kid who thinks they're a pre-teen would enjoy it.  The language is definitely PG, but there is a bit of adult situation, so parents you're gonna have to suffer through it with them.  You'll be somewhat entertained.  I was.  Heck, I even chuckled a few times.  This is definitely a new twist on Vampires.  I mean they still drink blood and all, but I have a feeling that Buffy's somewhere feeling proud with her chest sticking out and her dagger ready.