Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Passionate Revamp of the Classic Horror Story is Ridiculous but Watchable
It’s possible audiences aren’t clamoring for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for polished extravagance. And yet, one must admit: his richly designed romantic vampire tale boasts bold vision and flair – and amid its theatrical camp, it could be preferable to it to Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. Odd details emerge, like a particular moment that appears to show a land border between France and Romania.
Waltz as a Witty Yet Careworn Priest Tracking the Undead
Christoph Waltz plays a witty yet careworn man of the church pursuing the undead – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who arrives in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. So does the evil Count Dracula, brought to life by the body-horror veteran Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent similar to Steve Carell’s Gru of the Despicable Me series. This is a part he seemed destined to play.
The Plot: A Tale of Love and Loss
The plot unfolds as follows: the vampire lord has traveled ceaselessly the globe in sorrow for hundreds of years since he became undead, a penalty due to his blasphemous mourning after the passing of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has sought relentlessly for a lady who could be the reincarnation of his departed beloved. As ill fortune would have it, the lucky lady turns out to be Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the reserved future wife of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), who has recently been to Dracula’s fortress to review his real estate holdings and the small picture of the winsome Mina drew the vampire’s attention.
The Filmmaker’s Approach and Humorous Style
Besson organizes Dracula’s middle-section history of worldwide travels wearing flamboyant outfits confidently, and he is not above offering humorous scenes reminiscent of Mel Brooks – such as the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to kill himself following Elisabeta’s passing, as well as absurd moments that follow Dracula applies to himself with a specific fragrance in historic Florence, that renders him irresistible to women. Outlandish but entertaining.
Dracula is available digitally from 1 December and on DVD and Blu-ray from 22 December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.
