Dracula Movie Critique – Luc Besson’s Romantic Revamp of the Classic Horror Story is Ridiculous but Watchable
It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for glossiness and bloat. Still, it has to be said: his opulently crafted romantic vampire tale has ambition and panache – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer over the recent, stately interpretation by Robert Eggers of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, like a particular moment that appears to show a territorial boundary between France and Romania.
Waltz as a Witty Yet Careworn Clergyman Hunting Vampires
Christoph Waltz embodies a clever but beleaguered vampire-hunting priest – it feels natural for him to tackle this character previously – who arrives in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. Likewise present is the malevolent vampire count, enacted by the body-horror veteran Caleb Landry Jones speaking in a twisted regional dialect similar to the voice of Gru by Steve Carell in the Despicable Me films. This is a part he seemed destined to play.
The Story: A Tale of Love and Loss
Here’s the premise: the vampire lord has wandered endlessly the globe in sorrow for hundreds of years after his transformation into a vampire, a punishment due to his blasphemous mourning over the death of his wife, Elisabeta (an inaugural screen appearance for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has looked tirelessly for some woman who would be the rebirth of his deceased partner. By cruel fate, the fortunate female is revealed as Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the demure fiancee of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), who just traveled to Dracula’s fortress to negotiate his real estate holdings and the small picture of the lovely Mina drew the vampire’s attention.
The Filmmaker’s Approach and Humorous Style
Besson structures Dracula’s middle-section history of international journeys in various outrageous costumes confidently, and he willingly includes providing humorous scenes reminiscent of Mel Brooks – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to end his own life following Elisabeta’s passing, along with absurd moments that result after Dracula douses himself in a certain perfume during the 1700s in Florence, which makes him unavoidably attractive to females. Ridiculous and watchable.
Dracula can be streamed online beginning on the first of December and on DVD and Blu-ray starting the twenty-second of December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas beginning on the fifth of February, 2026.
