Dracula Movie Critique – Luc Besson’s Passionate Revamp of the Gothic Classic is Ridiculous but Entertaining

It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for glossiness and bloat. Still, it’s worth noting: his opulently crafted love story with vampires 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. A few strange elements appear, including one shot that appears to show a land border between France and Romania.

Christoph Waltz as a Clever but Weary Clergyman Hunting Vampires

Christoph Waltz portrays a witty yet careworn vampire-hunting priest – it feels natural for him to tackle this character previously – who arrives in Paris in 1889 during the centennial of the French Revolution. So does the malevolent vampire count, brought to life by the body-horror veteran Caleb Landry Jones speaking in a twisted regional dialect similar to Steve Carell’s Gru of the Despicable Me series. This character that he too was born to take on.

The Narrative: A Tale of Love and Loss

The plot unfolds as follows: the vampire lord has wandered endlessly the earth in torment for 400 years following his rise as one of the undead, a penalty due to his blasphemous mourning following the loss of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has been searching, searching, searching for a lady who might be the rebirth of his deceased partner. By cruel fate, the fortunate female turns out to be Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the demure fiancee of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (enacted by Ewens Abid), who just traveled to the count’s castle to discuss his land assets and whose miniature portrait of the lovely Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.

Besson’s Handling and Humorous Style

Besson structures Dracula’s middle-section history of global roaming in various outrageous costumes skillfully, and he doesn’t shy away from giving us humorous scenes in the style of Mel Brooks – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to commit suicide after Elisabeta’s death, in addition to comical sequences that follow Dracula sprays himself with a specific fragrance in historic Florence, which makes him irresistible to women. Outlandish but entertaining.

Dracula is available digitally from 1 December and in disc format starting the twenty-second of December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas beginning on the fifth of February, 2026.