Robert Eggers continues kicking goals with Nosferatu, released by Focus Features and Universal this New Year. Long story short: if you’re a fan of Eggers’ previous work, vampire flicks and the legend of Dracula in general- don’t hesitate to catch this one in cinemas. It’s a solid horror flick to sink your teeth into.
Not much new can be said about Eggers as an auteur filmmaker. You either love his style or don’t understand the fuss. As with The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, Eggers once again leans into minimal world-building and atmospheric suspense. Fully invested in showing, not telling. Nosferatu feels like a culmination of his previous works, blending folk horror, claustrophobic storytelling and lavish period detail with a mainstream cinematic offering.
For the uninitiated, Eggers’ Nosferatu is a reimagining of the 1922 German silent film (itself an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula) with stylistic nods to Coppola’s 1992 Dracula. However, Eggers makes this story entirely his own, imprinting his signature filmmaking techniques throughout.
Nosferatu offers a horrific fresh take on the undead vampire. Bill Skarsgård (Boy Kills world) is unrecognizable as the titular fiend. Rather than the traditional, romantic portrayal, Eggers’ version of the undead vampire is a rotting, maggot-ridden walking corpse. Drenched in hate and desire. Every word he speaks steals the scene.
Lily-Rose Depp (Voyagers) excels as Ellen. Delivering an insane performance as a woman unravelling under the influence of an invasive, supernatural force. Depp gives it her all, though some of her daytime scenes feel repetitive and slightly overwrought. That said, Ellen’s frequent struggle when conscious is understandable. She is battling societal perceptions that she’s merely “hysterical.”
Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) handles the role of Thomas (Jonathan Harker) with finesse. While the character is well-worn with no surprises in this iteration, Hoult immerses himself in the role. Convincingly portraying the desperate angst of a man racing to reunite with his lover before the inevitable.
Willem Dafoe (Platoon) and Ralph Ineson (The First Omen), as Dr. Seivers and Eberhart Von Franz (Van Helsing), share terrific chemistry as they bounce off each other in pursuit of truth. Dafoe skirts the razor’s edge between wisdom and self-parody, delivering a predictably entertaining performance. Ineson, playing it straight, exudes concern and conjecture. As with any character Ineson plays, the magic lies with his voice.
Special mention goes to Simon McBurney’s (The Conjuring 2) captivating performance as the tortured and enslaved Herr Knock (Renfield).
Nosferatu arrives in Australian cinemas January 1st. It’s an easy 9/10 loathsome madmen. Love it or hate it, the film is a visual and atmospheric feast best experienced on your nearest Extreme Screen.
He’s coming…
