Vampires vs the Bronx Adds a New Twist to Vampire Movie Lore
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Vampires vs. the Bronx, available now on Netflix.
Netflix's Vampires vs. the Bronx is a coming-of-age tale that follows Miguel, Luis, Bobby and Rita as they defend their neighborhood against a group of wealthy vampires intent on buying up all the properties and turning their neighbors into cattle. As is common in vampire mythology, the creatures in Vampires vs. the Bronx are weakened by sunlight, holy water, wooden stakes to the heart and garlic. They also don't have reflections or appear in videos, and they're unable to enter a building without an invitation. However, Vampires vs. the Bronx does add a new twist to classic vampire movie lore in terms of how the undead fiends are created.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Start nowTypically in modern vampire fiction, a vampire "sires" another by first draining their victim and then forcing them to drink vampire blood. The idea of vampires siring offspring through the transference of their blood became popular following Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic horror novel, Dracula, though there have been a variety of other takes on vampire lore and mythology depending on chronology and geography.
In Vampires vs. the Bronx, though, vampires sire offspring by having their victim inhale the ashen remains of the first vampire and then biting them. This method of siring offspring is explained by the vampires’ commander, Vivian, when she hunts Miguel and his friends after they steal the skull-shaped key to the box containing the ashes of the first vampire. In the film’s finale, Vivian blows a small handful of the ash remains into Bobby’s face, but Miguel kills her before she can bite Bobby and complete his transformation.
This method of reproduction does provide some advantages to the film's vampires, as they're able to both closely control who they allow into their ranks and feed freely upon the human population without fear of someone accidentally siring an offspring. However, the method is also more complicated, forcing vampires to remain in possession of the ash at all times so as to ensure future transformations. There's also some question as to what will happen when the ashes are used up, meaning vampires must be much more strategic and cautious than in other mythology. Overall, this system of siring -- which is never really explained -- imposes a lot of disadvantages on vampires and limits their potential for expansion.
Vampires vs. the Bronx is seemingly the first film to introduce this new concept of vampire reproduction, offering a twist on centuries of previously established vampire mythology. While the method does certainly have its advantages and disadvantages, there's no arguing with the fact that it's certainly a unique myth for a unique film.
Vampires vs. the Bronx stars Sarah Gadon, Chris Redd, The Kid Mero, Method Man, Shea Whigham, Vladimir Caamaño, Jaden Michael, Gregory Diaz IV, Gerald W. Jones III, and Coco Jones. It is available for streaming now on Netflix.
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