NOW IN THEATERS! Based on the gothic novel by Bram Stoker, Dracula is director Luc Besson’s 20th feature film. Best known for visual spectacles such as The Fifth Element, Besson breathes new life into the proverbial prince of darkness by humanizing the monster. Having previously directed star Caleb Landry Jones in DogMan, the pair have created a unique take on an old classic. Prince Vlad (Jones) is deeply in love with the woman of his dreams, Elisabeta (Zoë Bleu). As a pivotal battle rages, things take a tragic turn; Vlad abjures God and must search over the centuries for his long-lost wife.
As the titular vampire, Jones inhabits this infamous archetype with a haunting, skeletal grace. This version of Dracula ensures that his emotions are raw and palpable; Jones’s performance is harrowing and heartbreaking, capturing a torturous 400-year journey to find his lost love. Bleu, doubling as Elisabeta in the past and Mina in the present, gives a performance that leaves no doubt she is worthy of such a journey. With a strong cast rounded out by an exquisite performance by Christoph Waltz as the priest who has been hunting Dracula throughout the ages, there is much to enjoy here.
“…Vlad abjures God and must search over the centuries for his long-lost wife.”
The beautiful cinematography by Colin Wandersman (who also worked on DogMan) pairs perfectly with composer Danny Elfman’s whimsically haunting score. The combination of these cinematic elements gives Besson’s film a gothic sensibility reminiscent of Tim Burton’s peak work, but this is not a negative in any sense. Even the inclusion of a group of gargoyles that serve as Dracula’s henchmen only adds to an experience that avoids well-worn horror tropes for a visceral exploration of eternal longing.
Approaching this Dracula with the looming shadow of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula would be a disservice. This is a version that emphasizes beauty more than darkness. Bringing the streets of Paris to life while illuminating the personal struggle of faith that Dracula experiences proves that Besson had a mission to dig deeper into the human motivations of a man who has lost everything. In a fresh take on a beloved and feared character, Besson’s film is a magnificent achievement. More romance than terror and more faith than devilry, this film is sure to pull the heartstrings.
"…sure to pull the heartstrings."
