REVIEW: Gothically gorgeous ‘Nosferatu’ is good, not quite great

The last month of 2024 brought us a new tale with the classic vampire Dracu… oh, excuse me. A new tale with the classic vampire Count Orlok.

More than 100 years after the release of the legendary German horror film, a new “Nosferatu” is in cinemas. Like the original from 1922, this remake centers on the married couple Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) and Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) Hutter. The movie picks up with Thomas, a real estate agent, being sent to Transylvania for a sale.

There, Thomas meets Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgard), a nobleman (and secret vampire) who’s seeking a relocation to the German city where the Hutters reside. His reason for wanting to do so is a sort of mental connection the vampire has with Ellen.

For those who don’t know, the story of “Nosferatu” is a loose retelling of “Dracula,” but names and plot points were shifted because of copyright. So, it’s not “Dracula,” but plays out similarly, meaning the way this film unfolds should be familiar to most audiences.

What is a refreshing addition to the vampire genre, though, is Robert Eggers’ vision. The director’s visual style has been consistently sensational and it’s no different here. He’s able to create such dark and dreary aesthetics that lend a lot of character to his films. It’s such a compliment to “Nosferatu,” which is wonderfully Gothic in every way.

Eggers and his crew, including cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, did impeccable work with this feature. Every frame and length of shot feel well calculated and deliberate. Plus, the set and costume design is on point, and the makeup is the same way for that matter, especially with Orlok.

Orlok himself, though, doesn’t quite work as well. On the one hand, Skarsgard is properly creepy and menacing in the role, each word he utters drips with dread. At the same time, he looks and sounds so monstrous that it’s harder to buy that he can seduce Ellen through their connection.

Now, in the original film, Orlok also appeared monstrous. But it worked nicely for a few reasons. One, the 1922 picture was from the German Expressionist period, where films were stylized to look otherworldly and exaggerated, and a more monstrous looking villain fit perfectly.

Two, it was a silent movie, making the antagonist’s freaky physical features more important to be shown since dialogue wasn’t a factor. In the modern film, meanwhile, it’s a different case. Yes, it’s a monster movie and the more grotesque-looking Orlok is frightening, but his design and personality in relation to the narrative doesn’t click.

That’s not to say they should have taken an off-ramp and turned toward a Bela Lugosi-type portrayal. However, making Orlok just a bit more human, and showing he has some charm would have been good for a more balanced approach, making the relationship with Ellen more effective.

Beyond just Orlok, though, “Nosferatu” is a film that sacrifices some of its substance while being so heavy on style. The movie is absolutely gorgeous visually, but the the picture can feel void of personality. There are times where it sort of just plods along the familiar story beats without really gripping the viewer.

Now, those few paragraphs do make this review come off a bit harsh, but “Nosferatu” is really not a bad film. Plenty of it works well. In addition to the look and feel of the picture, it features wonderful performances, with a particularly powerful one from Depp. She is sensational in the movie, perfectly capturing a strong, intriguing woman who’s under a hypnotic spell.

The cast is rounded out nicely by the likes of Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin, all side characters who are driven to desperation because of the threat. How they deal with their circumstances is convincing thanks to the work of those actors.

Stealing the show as he usually does, however, is Willem Dafoe, who plays a professor inspired by Van Helsing. He’s wonderfully manic in the role, playing a brilliant scientist who dove deep into studying the occult and has developed some quirks in the process.

Overall, “Nosferatu” is an eerie, dreary visual treat that can send shivers and chills to an audience. It’s certainly a well-made effort, and the cast does solid work across the board.

However, the villain at the heart of the picture doesn’t quite work as well as one would hope and the movie isn’t as compelling as some of Eggers’ other work, such as “The Lighthouse.” There are positives, but it likely won’t reach the classic status as the original. 3.65 out of 5.