Dracula Review – Besson’s Romantic Reinterpretation of the Classic Horror Story is Outlandish but Engaging
It’s possible audiences aren’t clamoring for a new version of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for stylish excess. And yet, one must admit: his lavishly upholstered romantic vampire tale boasts bold vision and flair – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, it could be preferable compared with Eggers’s dignified recent take of Nosferatu. There are some very bizarre touches, like a particular moment that seems to depict a territorial boundary between France and Romania.
The Veteran Actor as a Humorously Exhausted Priest Tracking the Undead
Christoph Waltz portrays a witty yet careworn man of the church pursuing the undead – it’s surprising he never took on this role before – who finds himself 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 using a distorted Eastern European tone reminiscent of the voice of Gru by Steve Carell of the Despicable Me series. This character that he too was born to take on.
The Plot: A Tale of Love and Loss
Here’s the premise: Dracula has wandered endlessly the earth in torment for 400 years after his transformation into a vampire, a consequence due to his blasphemous mourning following the loss of his wife, Elisabeta (a first film part for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). the vampire has been searching, searching, searching for some woman who could be the rebirth of his deceased partner. As ill fortune would have it, the lucky lady proves to be Mina (again played by Bleu), the modest betrothed of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (enacted by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the count’s castle to review his land assets and the small picture of the charming Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.
Besson’s Direction and Humorous Style
Besson organizes Dracula’s middle-section history of international journeys sporting extravagant attire with a sure hand, and he willingly includes giving us humorous scenes with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – like the count’s repeated and futile attempts to commit suicide following Elisabeta’s passing, along with comical sequences that follow Dracula sprays himself using a particular scent in 18th-century Florence, which makes him unavoidably attractive to females. Outlandish but entertaining.
Dracula is on digital platforms starting December 1st and on DVD and Blu-ray from December 22nd. It screens in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.
