"Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" is a bloody mess. Not in terms of gory content, mind you, but in terms of story content.

The adaptation of Darren Shan's best-selling book series is confused muddle of a movie. The filmmakers can't decide on whether they want it to be a comedy, a horror, a coming-of-age tale, a good-vs.-evil parable or a combination of all of those things.

And it also feels choppy, like it was sliced-and-diced so many times in an editing room that important parts were left out.

And yet, it's not completely unwatchable. The first-rate cast has a lot to do with that.

Chris Massoglia stars as Shan's fictional counterpart, a seemingly perfect teen with a taste for darker things.

Recently, Darren's best friend, Steve (Josh Hutcherson), has dragged him to a freak show/carnival. As a result of this, neither of their lives will be the same.

Darren has become the lackey to Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly), a vampiric performer. Crepsley has even turned into the teen into a "half-vampire."

Meanwhile, Steve has also gained supernatural powers, thanks to the evil Mr. Tiny (Michael Cerveris) and Murtaugh (Ray Stevenson), Crepsley's longtime nemesis.

This material allows some of the performers to step out of their normal "comfort zones" and to have some fun.

Reilly, for example, is a hoot as an action hero and an unlikely romantic lead. (His character is involved with the freak show's bearded lady/seer, played by Salma Hayek.)

The normally likable Hutcherson ("Journey to the Center of the Earth") also goes against his usual type, since his character is a bit of a bully and a bad guy.

Unfortunately, the whiny Massoglia isn't nearly as compelling as the story's main character and supposed moral center.

We'd much rather spend time with his fellow carnival performers. (The supporting cast includes Ken Watanabe, Orlando Jones, Jane Krakowski, Patrick Fugit and Jessica Carlson, none of whom get as much screen time as they deserve.)

"Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" is rated PG-13 and features strong violent content (vampiric and other creature attacks, stabbings, brawling, violence against women and child-in-peril elements), scattered strong profanity, derogatory language and slurs, crude humor (including digestive gags), and suggestive references and brief drug content (toxins and antidotes). Running time: 108 minutes.

e-mail: jeff@desnews.com