The Lost Boys

Critics Consensus

Flawed but eminently watchable, Joel Schumacher's teen vampire thriller blends horror, humor, and plenty of visual style with standout performances from a cast full of young 1980s stars.

76%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 67

85%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 274,771

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Movie Info

In this hit '80s hybrid of the horror movie and the teen flick, a single mom and her two sons become involved with a pack of vampires when they move into an offbeat Northern California town. Lucy (Dianne Wiest) and her sons, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim), move to Santa Carla to live with Lucy's lovable but curmudgeonly father (Barnard Hughes). Lucy gets a job from video-store owner Max (Edward Herrmann), then begins dating him, while Sam hangs out with Edward and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander), a pair of vampire-obsessed comic-shop clerks. Soon Michael falls in with some actual vampires after becoming enamored of one of their victims: Star (Jami Gertz), a gypsy-like vixen who is trying to hold on to her humanity even though vampire leader David (Kiefer Sutherland) wants to play Peter Pan to her Wendy. When Michael visits the cavernous hangout of David and his cronies and unwittingly drinks from a wine bottle full of vampiric blood, he becomes an unwilling member of the bloodsucker biker gang. Soon, it's up to Sam and the Frog brothers to destroy David and his ilk without killing Michael and Star. Shot on location in the coastal California town of Santa Cruz and directed by Hollywood pro Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys became a pop-culture phenomenon thanks to its attractive young stars, offbeat soundtrack, and hip, clever marketing campaign. The film's tagline -- "Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire." -- perfectly captured its knowing mixture of attitude and gore. The effects team who transformed Sutherland and company into snarling bloodsuckers would go on to provide equally gruesome effects for Blade, another revisionist vampire flick, more than a decade later. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Cast

Corey Haim
as Sam Emerson
Jason Patric
as Michael Emerson
Dianne Wiest
as Lucy Emerson
Jason Hain
Edward Herrmann
as Max
Barnard Hughes
as Grandpa
Kiefer Sutherland
as David
Corey Feldman
as Edgar Frog
Jami Gertz
as Star
Jamison Newlander
as Alan Frog
Brooke McCarter Jr.
as Paul
Billy Wirth
as Dwayne
Alex Winter
as Marko
Chance Michael Corbitt
as Laddie
Nori Morgan
as Shelly
J. Dinan Myrtetus
as Security Guard
Kelly Jo Minter
as Maria
Jim Turner
as Gas Station Owner
Melanie Bishop
as Child's Mother
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Critic Reviews for The Lost Boys

All Critics (67) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (16)

  • The Lost Boys, in its artless way, asks us to consider that being for ever young isn't a sweet Edwardian evocation of innocence, but a vision of pure hell, like vampirism.

    February 14, 2020 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian
    Top Critic

  • Schumacher falls far short of the talent for pop wit that Joe Dante showed in Gremlins and The Howling.

    January 21, 2014 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    Desmond Ryan

    Philadelphia Inquirer
    Top Critic

  • The Lost Boys, which attempts to be funny while preserving the shock value of the vampire legend, aims somewhat higher... and misses.

    January 21, 2014 | Full Review…

    Jay Boyar

    Orlando Sentinel
    Top Critic

  • There's always room for fancy trash, and this movie -- about a gang of punk vampires terrorizing the new kids in town -- seems capable of providing some. Then the characters open their mouths.

    January 21, 2014 | Full Review…

    Michael Wilmington

    Los Angeles Times
    Top Critic

  • Schumacher`s sputtering, short-term approach to the material is a disappointment, because there's something in it that ought to make for a good movie, and from time to time makes The Lost Boys good enough.

    January 21, 2014 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    Dave Kehr

    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic

  • A horrifically dreadful vampire teensploitation entry.

    March 24, 2009 | Full Review…

    Variety Staff

    Variety
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (67)

Audience Reviews for The Lost Boys

  • Mar 25, 2015
    The Lost Boys came out far too early to be considered satirical, however during a contemporary viewing its cynical tone can't be missed. Whilst its thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish for a variety of reasons (the amazing soundtrack, the campy tone and Dianne Wiest's parodical enigma of a clueless mother) the film suffers from plenty of set-backs. The tone is inconsistent throughout and features many examples of how slap-stick nonsense can really water down a solid story.
    Harry W Super Reviewer
  • Dec 02, 2014
    Deeply flawed but hilariously entertaining. Nostalgic of the 80s. It's always risky to use child actors in films, but Corey Haim was a clear exception to the risk. The vampires were given a renovation in the film, daring and ambitious, the Lost Boys is what a good campy B movie should be like.
    Sylvester K Super Reviewer
  • Jul 31, 2013
    Campy fun with some chilling twists and turns. I saw Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric in "That Championship Season" on Broadway a couple years ago, and it's wild to see them in their first roles - all long-maned and frisky. Young Dianne Wiest is so fragilely beautiful, and young, gypsy-flavored Jami Gertz (of Seinfeld's "I don't have a square to spare" fame) looks like Shakira! Coreys Haim and Feldman are surfer-dude lame but nevertheless hilarious.
    Alice S Super Reviewer
  • Oct 18, 2012
    From director Joel Schumacher comes the cult classic vampire film The Lost Boys. The story follows a family that moves to the beach community of Santa Carla, California, and is soon preyed upon by a vampire clan that tries to seduce the oldest son into joining them. Kiefer Sutherland leads the cast and gives a seminal performance. And the Two Coreys (Corey Haim & Corey Feldman), provide a lot of fun comedy relief. Schumacher does a great job directing; creating a captivating surreal visual aesthetic that enhances the fantasy themes. Additionally, the soundtrack is exceptionally well done and includes the unforgettable theme song "Cry Little Sister." The Lost Boys is groundbreaking film with a unique vision.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
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