Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Passionate Reinterpretation of the Classic Horror Story is Ridiculous but Entertaining

It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for glossiness and bloat. Still, it’s worth noting: his opulently crafted vampire romance has ambition and panache – and amid its theatrical camp, I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer to it to Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, including one shot that looks like it presents a geographic divide between France and Romania.

Waltz as a Clever but Weary Vampire-Hunting Priest

Christoph Waltz embodies a clever but beleaguered cleric fighting vampires – it’s surprising he never took on such a part earlier – who finds himself in Paris in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The same goes for the malevolent vampire count, brought to life by the expert in grotesque roles Caleb Landry Jones using a distorted Eastern European tone similar to Steve Carell’s Gru from the Despicable Me comedies. This is a part suits him perfectly.

The Plot: A Tale of Love and Loss

Here’s the premise: the count has been restlessly roaming the globe in sorrow for 400 years after his transformation into a vampire, a penalty for his faithless sorrow after the passing of his wife, Elisabeta (a first film part for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). the vampire has looked tirelessly for a lady who could be the reincarnation of his lost love. By cruel fate, the lucky lady proves to be Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the demure fiancee of Dracula’s feeble property handler, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), who lately visited to Dracula’s fortress to review his land assets and the tiny painting of the winsome Mina caught the count’s hooded eye.

Besson’s Handling and Humorous Style

Besson structures Dracula’s flashback sequence 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 count’s repeated and futile attempts to kill himself following Elisabeta’s passing, as well as farcical scenes that result after Dracula sprays himself using a particular scent during the 1700s in Florence, which causes him to be unavoidably attractive to females. Absurd yet engaging.

Dracula can be streamed online from 1 December and in disc format from 22 December. It plays in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.