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Salem's Lot 2024

Author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem's Lot in search of inspiration for his writing, but finds the community gripped by a terrifying evil. A sinister presence has taken hold, awakening a thirst for blood and casting a dark shadow over the town.

Author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem's Lot in search of inspiration for his writing, but finds the community gripped by a terrifying evil. A sinister presence has taken hold, awakening a thirst for blood and casting a dark shadow over the town.

Does Salem's Lot have end credit scenes?

No!

Salem's Lot does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Ratings and Reviews for Salem's Lot

See how Salem's Lot is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Salem's Lot stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Echo Score

The Movie Echo Score

50

The adaptation delivers a mixed reception with strengths in visual execution overshadowed by narrative shortcomings. While reviewers frequently noted polished direction and a nostalgic color palette, many found the story uninspired and pacing uneven. Acting is serviceable but undercut by thin character arcs, and the scare elements rarely achieve sustained dread. Despite moments of atmosphere and style, the film struggles to leave a lasting impact.

The Movie Echo Score Breakdown for Salem's Lot

60
Echo Score

Art & Craft

In terms of art and craft, the film presents a polished visual approach tempered by a lack of inventiveness. Critics praised Michael Burgess’s cinematography and the nostalgic color grading, noting effective framing and mood. However, some described the production design as uninspired and the editing occasionally stale. Overall, the visual execution is competent but seldom surprising.

55
Echo Score

Character & Emotion

When it comes to character and emotion, performances are generally assured but lack depth. Several reviewers noted that the cast delivers competent portrayals, with occasional moments of genuine chemistry. Yet the screenplay provides little room for emotional resonance, leaving character arcs feeling truncated. The emotional stakes rarely build beyond surface-level connections, resulting in characters that engage momentarily but fail to leave a lasting imprint.

35
Echo Score

Story & Flow

In terms of story and flow, the narrative struggles with coherence and originality. Multiple critics pointed to jarring transitions and a rushed pacing that undermines engagement. The adaptation offers few fresh ideas, and the plot often follows predictable horror conventions. As a result, the storyline feels generic and lacks compelling momentum.

65
Echo Score

Sensory Experience

When considering sensory experience, the film delivers polished audio-visual elements but stops short of true terror. Several reviews praised the atmospheric score, restrained sound design, and coherent visual style, noting moments of effective tension. Nevertheless, the scare sequences often rely on familiar jump cuts and lack sustained dread. Overall, the sensory execution is refined yet only sporadically unsettling.

45
Echo Score

Rewatch Factor

When assessing rewatch factor, the film offers limited appeal for repeat viewings. Its generic storyline and predictable scares diminish potential enjoyment, and character underdevelopment reduces emotional engagement on subsequent watches. Although visual style and brief atmospheric moments may reward a second viewing, the overall experience lacks sufficient novelty to sustain lasting appeal.

Metacritic

47

Metascore

4.4

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

46%

TOMATOMETER

review

38%

User Score

IMDb

5.6 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

61

%

User Score

Letterboxd

2.4

From 21 fan ratings

Movie Insider

2.00/5

From 1 fan rating

Take the Ultimate Salem's Lot Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Salem's Lot with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Salem's Lot Quiz: Test your knowledge on the chilling events of Salem's Lot.

What is Ben Mears' profession?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Salem's Lot

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Read the complete plot summary of Salem's Lot, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Ben Mears, an aspiring writer, returns to his childhood hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping to find inspiration for his new book. He quickly rekindles his romantic feelings for local resident Susan Norton, immersing himself in the comforting familiarity of the place. However, the tranquility is shattered when a mysterious European named R.T. Straker opens an antique shop in town. Straker’s arrival coincides with unsettling events as he takes residence in the notorious, long-abandoned Marsten House.

Stranger still, a large coffin is soon delivered to the basement of his new home, leading to the chilling disappearance of Ralph Glick, a middle school student. It becomes apparent that Ralph has been kidnapped, sacrificed to Straker’s master, a terrifying vampire named Kurt Barlow. Despite a frantic search by townsfolk, Ralph’s fate remains a mystery, and newcomer Ben finds himself unfairly blamed for the bizarre occurrences that ensue.

Barlow, a force of terror, preys upon Ralph’s brother, Danny Glick, who meets a tragic end only to resurrect as a vampire, inflicting his curse on gravedigger Mike Ryerson. Concerned for Mike’s well-being, Matt Burke, a school teacher, discovers his ill state at a bar and brings him to the local physician, Dr. Cody. Observing troubling symptoms, Matt senses something sinister. Events take a drastic turn when they witness Danny soaring into Matt’s home, prompting him to warn Ben, Susan, Cody, and Sheriff Parkins Gillespie.

As they investigate Mike’s lifeless body, they realize he has succumbed to vampirism. A desperate group forms to confront the horrors unfolding in their town, encountering Danny in the process. When Danny attempts to manipulate his friend Mark Petrie into letting him in, Mark bravely stands his ground, resisting the sinister temptation. The following day assures another crushing blow as Cody learns of Danny’s mother’s tragic death, furthering the despair engulfing Jerusalem’s Lot.

Cody boldly confronts Matt about the vampire menace, and he reveals essential knowledge on how to defeat them. In a moment of bravery, Mark and Matt initiate a dangerous mission to invade the Marsten House, hoping to eliminate Barlow. However, Straker cunningly captures them, sealing their fate in the basement, resulting in Matt’s horrific fate of becoming one of Barlow’s minions. With chaos reigning, Straker also snatches Mark, forcing Ben, Susan, and Cody to investigate a fresh lead regarding Danny’s mother at the morgue. In a dreadful twist, they discover her powers have been corrupted, and while trying to protect themselves, Cody narrowly avoids transformation using a rabies shot.

As Barlow’s minions unleash terror on Jerusalem’s Lot, turning a significant number of residents into vampires, the desperate struggle intensifies. The following day offers fleeting hope as Mark manages to escape and confronts Straker, ending his dark influence. Seeking guidance, Ben, Susan, and Cody turn to Father Callahan for insight on Barlow. Mark relays critical information about the vampire lord’s whereabouts, and as they venture towards the Marsten House, they fall victim to Matt, now undead.

In a sweeping tide of horror, the vampires overrun the town as chaos ensues. Sheriff Gillespie, instinctively trying to flee, faces a brutal end at the hands of the very monsters they seek to combat. In a heart-wrenching betrayal, Susan learns that her mother has allied with Barlow, leading to her own bite in a bitter twist of fate. [Father Callahan] attempts to warn Mark’s parents, but the ruthless Barlow arrives, delivering an unmerciful end to them.

Desperate and fearful, Mark seeks shelter in his treehouse while Ben takes Susan to the protection of the church. Unfortunately, Cody struggles to cure her, and as Susan fully succumbs to her transformation, she escapes into the night, leaving behind an emotionally shattered Ben.

Eager for vengeance, Mark seeks out Barlow, discovering fresh horrors in Straker’s shop, where he finally confronts Danny. Together, Ben and Cody connect the dots, suspecting the local drive-in theater holds vital clues about the vampires’ activities. In a gripping scene where they prepare to confront the now-vampiric Susan, tragedy strikes as Cody finds herself shot by Susan’s mother.

As dusk settles, the vampires converge, launching a deadly assault on Ben, while Mark manages to finish off Susan’s mother, inadvertently exposing the remaining vampires to sunlight, resulting in their destruction. Amidst the chaos, Barlow emerges as a final obstacle for Mark, but Ben steps forward to protect him, ultimately delivering the fatal blow to Barlow with a staking maneuver. In the wake of devastation, Ben and Mark drive away from their beleaguered hometown, carrying with them the burden of loss and resilience as they leave the wreckage of Jerusalem’s Lot behind.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Salem's Lot

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Salem's Lot. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Official Trailer

Cars Featured in Salem's Lot

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Explore all cars featured in Salem's Lot, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


AMC

1970

Hornet

Cadillac

1967

Calais

Chevrolet

1971

C-10

Chevrolet

1969

C-Series

Chevrolet

1970

Caprice

Chevrolet

1975

Chevelle Malibu

Chevrolet

1973

Chevy Van

Chevrolet

1967

Impala

Chrysler

1969

New Yorker

Divco

Unknown

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


writersmall townchild vampirestephen king adaptationvampirebased on novelbased on booksupernatural powerbased on the works of stephen kingstephen kingvampire horrorcrucifixdeathhometownchildhoodtownsecrethigh schoolschoolgraveyardchildevilevil presenceabandonmentfearteenagerancientplaguestake in the heartchurchcar trunkdrive inundeadcreaturegrindhouse filmcoffincreature featuresheriffsuspensesecretaryproduct placementstabbed in the facefemale doctorwooden stakestabbed in the heartstabbed to deathf wordbitten in the neck1970sgood versus evil

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