Dracula
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Scroll down for my full Report Card Review and to share YOUR grade!
When a 15th-century prince (Caleb Landry Jones) denounces God after the loss of his wife (Zoe Bleu) he inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death, guided by a single hope - to be reunited with his lost love.
STORY: A-
A campy, inviting spin on a classic.
The fourth film this decade to feature Transylvania’s biggest tourist attraction, Luc Besson’s primary goal here is to entertain us. It’s not arty. It’s not pretentious. It’s a great time that’s high on camp and (relatively) low on gore.
PEOPLE: A-
This cast goes to eleven.
Besson slides the dial far to the right on his cast’s overacting settings. Matilda de Angelis’s performance goes so far over the top, she needs a spacesuit.
Caleb Landry Jones doesn’t go to the limits de Angelis does. He slides his pinkie toe just over the line - so slightly that at first you’re not sure whether it’s intentional or not. That uncertainty adds a layer of mystery to his performance.
Christoph Waltz goes the opposite direction, playing his frocked vampire hunter as pedestrianly as possible. His performance offers a counterbalance, making everyone else shine even brighter.
FILM NERD STUFF: A-
Listen to the music.
Danny Elfman’s score is the first clear signal of the film’s tone. It’s mixed loud. It’s melodramatic. It never leaves.
It overpowers nearly every scene it appears in, literally becoming the tone instead of supporting the tone.
ONE BIG LESSON: C
The only thing that can come between true love is a spike to the heart.
We can’t penalize the film here. Dracula’s story doesn’t lend itself to deep themes or life lessons.
Besson leans into that limitation. As I mentioned before, the film doesn't bother with much other than giving us a good time.
FINAL COMMENTS:
It’s hard to call this film “lighthearted.” Still, it’s a relatively lighthearted take, especially when compared to Robert Eggers’s arty, gorgeously rendered Nosferatu from a couple of years ago.
Besson’s full commitment to the film’s tone makes this one a unique and memorable addition to Dracula’s canon.
FINAL GRADE: B+
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