Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Passionate Revamp of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Absurd but Watchable
It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for an updated adaptation of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for stylish excess. And yet, it has to be said: his richly designed romantic vampire tale displays creativity and style – and amid its theatrical camp, I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer compared with the recent, stately interpretation by Robert Eggers of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, like a particular moment that seems to depict a geographic divide between France and Romania.
The Veteran Actor as a Clever but Weary Vampire-Hunting Priest
Christoph Waltz portrays a witty yet careworn cleric fighting vampires – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who ends up in Paris in 1889 during the centennial of the French Revolution. So does the malevolent vampire count, brought to life by the seasoned horror actor Caleb Landry Jones speaking in a twisted regional dialect evoking Carell’s Gru character of the Despicable Me series. This is a part suits him perfectly.
The Plot: A Chronicle of Longing
Here’s the premise: the count has wandered endlessly the world in anguish over four centuries after his transformation into a vampire, a punishment due to his blasphemous mourning after the passing of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). The count has sought relentlessly for a lady who would be the rebirth of his lost love. As ill fortune would have it, the lucky lady proves to be Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the demure fiancee of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to Dracula’s fortress to review his land assets and whose miniature portrait of the charming Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.
Besson’s Handling and Lighthearted Touch
Besson structures Dracula’s middle-section history of worldwide travels in various outrageous costumes skillfully, and he willingly includes offering humorous scenes with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – for example the count’s repeated and futile attempts to commit suicide after Elisabeta’s death, along with absurd moments that result after Dracula sprays himself with a specific fragrance during the 1700s in Florence, that renders him irresistible to women. Absurd yet engaging.
Dracula can be streamed online starting December 1st and for physical purchase from December 22nd. It plays in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.
