Stake Land is a dark vision of a post-apocalyptic America that stands out in a sea of formulaic look-alikes. In director Jim Mickle’s world, creatures who blur the line between vampires and zombies are creeping northward toward the Canadian border and eating everyone in their path. This is no typical genre film, though, as the real story unfolds slowly and deliberately with surprises at every turn.

Nick Damici is “Mister,” vampire hunter and mentor to orphaned teen Martin (Connor Paolo) as they fight “the vamps” on their trek to New Eden, a monster-free zone where humanity has staked a claim. But darkness is the real enemy here, as they only come out at night, of course. Then there are the cult groups who see the plague as a golden opportunity to spread their own unique brands of oppression.

A veteran film crew member, this is Jim Mickle’s second feature as a director. He co-wrote the script with Damici, who stars along with Paolo, Danielle Harris (Belle), Kelly McGillis (Sister), and Michael Cerveris (Jebedia Loven). The production team includes genre icon Larry Fessenden.

Utilizing mostly exterior shots, Stake Land’s look is appropriately dreary, grimy, and gray. The cool color palette of blues and muted earth tones enhance the dullness of life in this dying landscape. Each new stop along the way seems to shout, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” The viewer can almost smell the stench of death and feel the blood being drained, literally, from the victims’ bodies. Ryan Samul’s widescreen cinematography serves to punctuate the diminishing importance of the individual on this sad but still breathtaking landscape. Yes, there is still hope in them thar’ hills.

The music masterfully matches the combination of horror and poignancy. Jeff Grace has composed a score that is a character unto itself. Like the best genre films, the soundtrack serves to telegraph only slightly the horrors to come without overpowering the narrative with heavy-handed cues.

Most of all, though, Stake Land is a character-driven coming-of-age tale. Mister is an effective father figure to Martin, whose past is a mystery but can be gleaned from the circumstances surrounding their unlikely relationship. Damici’s Charles Bronson/Clint Eastwood works even in his slightly over-the-top characterization. Gruff yet tender when called for, violent yet gentle toward those he protects, Damici is pitch-perfect.

But it’s Paolo’s narration that leaves no doubt the story is being told from Martin’s point of view. He struck me as someone to watch for in the midst of the darkness that is Snow Angels. In a film that is distinctly down, he provided most of the much-needed comic relief. He began his film career in Mystic River and played the young Alexander in the film of the same name. He’s made nine feature films and numerous television appearances since the age of 12, including two highly acclaimed episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Paolo is perhaps best known as Eric on Fox’s hit television show Gossip Girl.

This is clearly his biggest role to date and he’s on screen from start to finish. Paolo is the heart and soul of Stake Land. Despite his growing attachment to Mister and increasingly violent encounters with the antagonists, his innocence and vulnerability are never abandoned. The film works largely because his performance is so authentic. With Stake Land, Paolo firmly plants his flag as a young leading man on the cinematic landscape.

Take The Road, I Am Legend, The Karate Kid, and The Forbidden Kingdom and put George Romero at the helm and you have Stake Land, a truly original horror film — no small achievement in a genre that’s currently populating local cinemas. Don’t miss it. Its nightmarish images will stay in your mind long after the credits roll.