Dracula (2025) Review
Dracula (Known as Dracula: A Love Tale in other territories) is an intriguing new take on the classic Dracula story from French filmmaker Luc Besson (Lucy, Leon the Professional). We’ve had countless interpretations of the Count over the years, most recently Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu and the BBC’s mini-series starring Claes Bang, but this film carves out its own space. For some audiences, that will be a pleasant surprise; for others, perhaps not as much. If you are going into this film expecting a Gothic horror, then you will be disappointed. This film unfolds more as a Gothic Fairytale, drawing on the more Romantic elements of the novel, as the film’s title suggests.
Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men First Class, Get Out) is a particularly inspired choice for the role of Dracula. He delivers a performance full of passion and melancholy, offering perhaps the most sympathetic portrayal of the character we’ve seen in cinema for a long time. His subtle, intense expressiveness—especially in his eyes—adds depth and emotional weight to the film. He is creepy in the older Vlad/Dracula make-up, but then so gentle when he is in his normal form. With this, the makeup department has done a great job; the makeup is wonderfully eerie and clearly inspired by the iconic look from Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula with Gary Oldman.
One of the film’s standout strengths is its stunning costume design. The exceptional clothing truly captures the period setting in Paris. The costume department’s work adds richness and intensity that elevate many scenes. Equally impressive is the score, which gives the film an almost whimsical feel in moments and impactful action during some of the fight scenes, no surprises really, as the score is composed by legendary composer Danny Elfman. As I already mentioned, the film leans more toward a Gothic fairytale than horror.
That isn’t a criticism; rather, the film carries a distinctly romanticised tone that sets it apart from more traditional horror-focused Dracula adaptations. As the title suggests, this is very much a love tale. That said, the imagery of the castle Dracula in the snow, buried in the mountains, remains as atmospherically creepy as you would want it to be in a film such as this. Christoph Waltz (Frankenstein) is fantastic in every one of his scenes, bringing gravitas and nuance to the film. The rest of the cast, however, are good but not as good, and are slightly outshone in the scenes when shared with these two.
Dracula has its issues, primarily with pacing and tonal inconsistencies. A few comedic mishaps with characters and CGI creatures feel out of place with the rest of the narrative, and he battle scene teased in the trailer is quite underwhelming. In addition, the early time jump is jarring. However, once the story settles, the progression toward young Vlad becoming the crown prince of vampires makes sense in context. It’s an interesting, visually striking watch; a Gothic fairy tale that gives a refreshing new take on a story as old as time.
★★★
Available on Digital HD from December 1st – on DVD & Blu-ray from December 22nd / Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Ewans Abid, Matilda De Angelis/ Dir. Luc Besson/ Signature Entertainment / 15
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