English
A teenager unknowingly breaks a 100-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires; vampires who do not harm their victims and Vampaneze who kill whomever they feed on.
Darren Shan (Chris Massoglia) and his best friend, Steve Leonard (Josh Hutcherson), go to a traveling freak show and Steve recognizes one of the performers as a vampire. Steve goes to see the vampire, Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly), after the show and tries to convince him to turn Steve into a vampire. Crepsley insists that becoming a vampire means having to give up any hope of a normal life, and Gavner Purl notes that children aren't supposed to become vampires anyway. Steve then reveals that he hates his life, and wants to be a vampire more than anything else. Crepsley reluctantly tests Steve's blood, but quickly spits it out, saying it tastes of evil. Steve furiously swears revenge on Crepsley and leaves. Darren, who is hiding in the cupboard after stealing Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa, overhears the whole thing.
When Crepsley realizes that Madam Octa has been stolen, Darren flees from the theater with Crepsley hot on his trail. Outside there is a limo waiting for him, which he is told to get into. Inside he meets Desmond Tiny (Michael Cerveris) and mad Vampaneze Murlough (Ray Stevenson). Murlough is unimpressed with Darren, but Mr. Tiny is certain he has great potential. They drop Darren off at his house where he sneaks back into his room.
The next day at school, Darren tries to take a look at Madam Octa, but Steve catches him and tries to get a close look at her while holding her cage. The bell rings, startling Steve and making him drop the cage, and she escapes. As Madam Octa tries to escape the school she creates chaos and Steve chases her, trying to kill her, and Darren follows after trying to save her. At the last moment Madam Octa slips into Steve's shirt, bites him, and makes good her escape. Madam Octa's poisonous bite leaves Steve in the hospital, and it is likely he will not survive. Darren then goes to Crepsley to ask for the antidote and is offered a deal by him. Crepsley will keep Darren safe from Mr. Tiny and give him the antidote if Darren becomes a half vampire and Crepsley's vampire assistant. They administer the antidote to Steve at the hospital, after which Darren, who still wishes to be rid of Crepsley, sounds the hospital alarm, forcing Crepsley to leave without him. Even as a half-vampire, Darren finds continuing with a normal life too difficult. After nearly attacking his sister out of bloodlust, Darren agrees to leave his family and go to the Cirque Du Freak with Crepsley. He fakes his own death and a funeral is held for him. During the funeral, Steve notices the scars on Darren's fingers and realizes he has become a vampire.
When Crepsley digs up Darren's grave they are attacked by Murlough, who tries to kidnap Darren and make him into a vampaneze. They lose Murlough and return to the Cirque. Darren meets the snake boy, Evra Von (Patrick Fugit), and Rebecca (Jessica Carlson), the monkey girl. Meanwhile, Steve is contemplating suicide. Mr. Tiny stops him and offers him a chance to become a Vampaneze, like Murlough. Mr. Tiny tells Steve that he is neither a vampire nor a Vampeneze, but someone with an interest in both. Tiny learns Darren has not fed on humans yet and sends Vampaneze after him, knowing that he will be weak. Darren escapes, so they kidnap Rebecca and have Evra tell Darren "to go home".Meanwhile Mr. Tiny makes contact with Steve and entices him to join his Vampaneze by playing on his resentments and insecurities. Steve is turned into half-Vampaneze and then he and Murlough capture Darren's family. Darren arrives home to find his family missing and a flier for Cirque du Freak. Darren arrives at the theater, where Murlough and Steve are waiting for him. They fight, but Darren is weak from not feeding. Crepsley arrives to fight Murlough. Rebecca frees herself, while Mr. Tiny watches from the balcony. Rebecca offers Darren some of her blood. He eventually agrees and fights with Steve using his new powers. Crepsley stabs Murlough and with his dying words Murlough declares that the truce between the two clans is broken. Steve and Darren continue to fight, but Tiny stops them and turns Murlough into a Little Person. Tiny and Steve then leave. Left by themselves, Rebecca and Darren then share a long heartfelt kiss before being interrupted by Mr. Crepsley.
When they all return to the Cirque du Freak, Darren is voted in by the Cirque's members to stay. Later, Gavner Purl (Willem Dafoe) comes to inform Crepsley that they must travel to Vampire Mountain tomorrow evening. Darren and Evra return to their tent to find out that Darren now has a new coffin with speakers installed in it, a present from Mr. Crepsley.
Italiano
Darren Shan è il classico adolescente medio americano che frequenta il liceo:è bravo a scuola, popolare ed è fissato con i ragni. Un giorno riceve da un'auto, targata Des-Tiny (in inglese "destino"), un volantino che spiega che in città si è fermato un circo un po' particolare: il circo dei freak. Il volantino dice anche che la carovana si fermerà solo una notte e il ragazzo, per vedere lo spettacolo, scappa di casa e si reca allo spettacolo con il suo migliore amico Steve (che è fissato con i vampiri). Durante lo show assiste inconsapevolmente a vere e proprie magie, dato che il baraccone itinerante è realmente abitato da creature grottesche come un ragazzo serpente, un uomo lupo,una donna barbuta, un uomo con 2 pance e una donna che si può far ricrescere gli arti amputati. Tra questi, Larten Crepsley che è in realtà un vampiro. Darren ruba il ragno velenoso Madam Octa (il cui morso porta alla morte) che Larten Crepsley ha addestrato e lo nasconde nel suo zaino. Il giorno seguente a scuola Steve lo scopre e fa accidentalmente fuggire il ragno, ma nel tentativo di ucciderlo viene morso da quest'ultimo. Per salvarlo, Crepsley chiede a Darren di diventare il suo assistente mezzo-vampiro, e il ragazzo accetta, abbandonando per sempre la sua vita da adolescente e inscena la sua morte. Si unisce al circo dei freak, dove divide la tenda con il ragazzo serpente, incontra Rebecca (la ragazza scimmia) e fa delle commissioni per Crepsley (come spolverargli la tomba, ritirare il suo mantello dalla lavanderia o nutrire Madam Octa). Darren scopre di avere dei nuovi poteri: sa "saettare" (cioe correre quasi alla velocità della luce), può esalare un gas che mette fuori gioco gli umani, ha la "super-saliva"(che cura le sue ferite) ed ha delle unghie taglienti come coltelli. Ma si accorge anche che se non beve il sangue umano è debole e non può sfruttare i suo poteri, ma lui si rifiuta di bere sangue umano. Intanto il suo amico Steve diventa un mezzo-vampiro-killer e rapisce i genitori di Darren, la sorella e Rebecca, con l'aiuto di Murlaugh che li tiene in ostaggio in un teatro....