Dracula Movie Critique – The French Director’s Love-Struck Reinterpretation of the Classic Horror Story is Outlandish but Engaging
It’s possible interest is limited for a new version of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for glossiness and bloat. However, it’s worth noting: his lavishly upholstered romantic vampire tale boasts bold vision and flair – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer over Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. Odd details emerge, including one shot that looks like it presents a land border between France and Romania.
Waltz as a Witty Yet Careworn Priest Tracking the Undead
Christoph Waltz embodies a clever but beleaguered man of the church pursuing the undead – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who finds himself in Paris in 1889 during the centennial of the French Revolution. The same goes for the evil Count Dracula, brought to life by the seasoned horror actor Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent reminiscent of the voice of Gru by Steve Carell of the Despicable Me series. It’s a role he seemed destined to play.
The Story: A Chronicle of Longing
Here’s the premise: the vampire lord has been restlessly roaming the globe in torment for hundreds of years after his transformation into a vampire, a punishment for his irreligious grief over the death of his beloved Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, Rosanna Arquette’s child). Dracula has sought relentlessly for a lady who might be the reincarnation of his lost love. As ill fortune would have it, the fortunate female turns out to be Mina (again played by Bleu), the reserved future wife of Dracula’s feeble property handler, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who just traveled to Dracula’s fortress to review his land assets and the tiny painting of the charming Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.
Besson’s Handling and Humorous Style
Besson organizes Dracula’s second-act backstory of worldwide travels wearing flamboyant outfits skillfully, and he doesn’t shy away from giving us funny bits with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – such as the count’s repeated and futile attempts to end his own life post-Elisabeta’s demise, as well as absurd moments that result after Dracula sprays himself using a particular scent in historic Florence, which causes him to be irresistible to women. Ridiculous and watchable.
Dracula is available digitally starting December 1st and on DVD and Blu-ray from December 22nd. It screens in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.
