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Review: ‘Nosferatu’ is an Old-Fashioned Tale of Terror that Lacks the Bite of Modern-Day Horror
December 17, 2024Ben MK
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Tales as old as ancient legend, stories of vampires can be found throughout history dating as far back as the 11th century, long before movies ever existed. Still, when it comes to vampire mythology, it's often the modern-day bloodsucker depicted in film and television that comes to mind first. Whether it's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Blade or Twilight, the very notion of a vampire has evolved far beyond what Bram Stoker imagined in his 1897 novel. With Nosferatu, however, writer-director Robert Eggers is taking vampire cinema back to its roots, in this remake of the very first vampire movie ever made. Set in 1838 Germany, the story follows Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman whose connection to the supernatural threatens to destroy her and everyone around her. It was years ago that Ellen awakened the entity known as Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a powerful vampire from the country of Carparthia, whose name strikes terror in the hearts of all those who know it. By doing so, however, Ellen also inextricably linked her fate to his — and despite her recent marriage to her husband, Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), nothing will stop Orlok from making the long journey across the ocean to claim her as his own. Enlisting the services of Thomas' easily manipulated boss, Mr. Knock (Simon McBurney), Orlok has already set into the motion the first step in his plan, purchasing a property in the same town as Ellen. In order to finalize the purchase, though, Thomas will have to travel to Orlok's home in the Carparthian mountainside, so that he can hand-deliver the contract. It's an assignment that will require Thomas to leave Ellen behind, as he makes the journey to a land where superstition rules over science. What he doesn't realize, however, is that it's all an elaborate trap; and once he enters Orlok's domain, he'll find that leaving will be an entirely different matter. Meanwhile, back in Germany, Ellen is beginning to find Orlok becoming more brazen, coming to her not only in visions, but also through the tragic misfortunes that befall her friends, Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Anna (Emma Corrin). Will Thomas be able to escape Orlok's grip and save his wife? And will the assistance of supernatural expert Professor von Franz (Willem Dafoe) make a difference in their mission to defeat Orlok? Or will Orlok's sheer willpower prove too fearsome to contend with, taking not only Ellen's life, but the lives of everyone she loves? A tale of horror that will no doubt be familiar to fans of Bram Stoker's Dracula, the result doesn't manage to surpass Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 gothic masterpiece. Still, what Eggers has achieved with this, his fourth feature, is nothing short of jaw-dropping, thanks to Nosferatu's incredible atmosphere and the undeniable sense of dread that permeates every frame of the film. From the period costume and production design to the note-perfect performances by the cast, there's plenty to admire about the movie as a whole. What's most impressive, though, is the fact that Eggers still manages to keep viewers' eyes glued to the screen, despite the fact that a good deal of genre fans will already be well-versed with the broad strokes of how this story unfolds. Suffice to say, it's easy to recommend Nosferatu to both moviegoers in the mood for an old-fashioned tale of terror and fans of hardcore vampire films alike. Nonetheless, audiences expecting a cinematic revelation that will genuinely terrify them to their very core might want to seriously consider tempering their expectations going in. After all, when it comes to the genre, there's scary and then there's scary-adjacent. And as far as avid horror fans are concerned, this is one movie that arguably belongs in the latter category. Nosferatu releases December 25th, 2024 from Universal Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of R for bloody violent content, graphic nudity and some sexual content. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 13 min. |
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