Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Love-Struck Revamp of the Classic Horror Story is Absurd but Watchable
Perhaps audiences aren’t clamoring for an updated adaptation of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for polished extravagance. Still, it’s worth noting: his lavishly upholstered love story with vampires displays creativity and style – and amid its theatrical camp, it could be preferable compared with Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, like a particular moment that looks like it presents a land border between France and Romania.
The Veteran Actor as a Humorously Exhausted Priest Tracking the Undead
Christoph Waltz portrays a clever but beleaguered man of the church pursuing the undead – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who ends up in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. The same goes for the sinister Dracula, enacted by the expert in grotesque roles Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent similar to Steve Carell’s Gru from the Despicable Me comedies. This character suits him perfectly.
The Story: A Tale of Love and Loss
The plot unfolds as follows: the count has wandered endlessly the earth in sorrow for hundreds of years since he became undead, a punishment for his faithless sorrow after the passing of his spouse Elisabeta (an inaugural screen appearance for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has looked tirelessly for a female who might be the rebirth of his deceased partner. Unfortunately, the fortunate female proves to be Mina (again played by Bleu), the reserved future wife of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the vampire’s estate to discuss his real estate holdings and the small picture of the lovely Mina drew the vampire’s attention.
Besson’s Handling and Lighthearted Touch
Besson organizes Dracula’s second-act backstory of worldwide travels sporting extravagant attire skillfully, and he doesn’t shy away from giving us some comedy moments with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – like Dracula’s ongoing failed efforts to kill himself post-Elisabeta’s demise, along with farcical scenes that follow Dracula applies to himself using a particular scent during the 1700s in Florence, that renders him irresistible to women. Outlandish but entertaining.
Dracula is available digitally from 1 December and in disc format from December 22nd. It will be shown in Australian cinemas beginning on the fifth of February, 2026.
