Dracula Movie Critique – Luc Besson’s Romantic Revamp of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Absurd but Engaging
Perhaps audiences aren’t clamoring for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the celebrated French director for polished extravagance. However, it has to be said: his opulently crafted romantic vampire tale displays creativity and style – and amid its theatrical camp, I might just favor to it to the recent, stately interpretation by Robert Eggers of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, including one shot that seems to depict a land border between France and Romania.
Waltz as a Humorously Exhausted Vampire-Hunting Priest
Christoph Waltz portrays a humorous yet burdened cleric fighting vampires – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who ends up in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. Likewise present is the evil Count Dracula, enacted by the body-horror veteran Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent similar to the voice of Gru by Steve Carell in the Despicable Me films. It’s a role suits him perfectly.
The Story: A Saga of Heartbreak
The story is this: the count has been restlessly roaming the earth in sorrow for 400 years since he became undead, a punishment for his faithless sorrow following the loss of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). the vampire has sought relentlessly for some woman who could be the rebirth of his deceased partner. By cruel fate, the lucky lady turns out to be Mina (also Bleu, of course), the modest betrothed of Dracula’s feeble property handler, Jonathan Harker (enacted by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the vampire’s estate to negotiate his property portfolio and the tiny painting of the winsome Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.
Besson’s Direction and Comic Flair
Besson arranges Dracula’s second-act backstory of international journeys sporting extravagant attire with a sure hand, and he doesn’t shy away from giving us some comedy moments with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to commit suicide following Elisabeta’s passing, in addition to absurd moments that result after Dracula douses himself with a specific fragrance in historic Florence, that renders him compelling to the opposite sex. Absurd yet engaging.
Dracula is on digital platforms beginning on the first of December and on DVD and Blu-ray from 22 December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas beginning on the fifth of February, 2026.
