Dracula Review – Besson’s Passionate Reimagining of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Ridiculous but Entertaining

It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for stylish excess. And yet, it has to be said: his lavishly upholstered love story with vampires boasts bold vision and flair – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, it could be preferable compared with Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, including one shot that seems to depict a land border between France and Romania.

The Veteran Actor as a Witty Yet Careworn Priest Tracking the Undead

Christoph Waltz embodies a witty yet careworn vampire-hunting priest – it’s surprising he never took on this role before – who ends up in Paris in 1889 during the centennial of the French Revolution. Likewise present is the evil Count Dracula, brought to life by the expert in grotesque roles Caleb Landry Jones using a distorted Eastern European tone similar to Carell’s Gru character of the Despicable Me series. This is a part suits him perfectly.

The Plot: A Chronicle of Longing

Here’s the premise: Dracula has traveled ceaselessly the world in sorrow for hundreds of years following his rise as one of the undead, a consequence due to his blasphemous mourning following the loss of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role for Zoë Bleu, Rosanna Arquette’s child). the vampire has been searching, searching, searching for some woman who could be the return of his deceased partner. Unfortunately, the lucky lady turns out to be Mina (also Bleu, of course), the demure fiancee of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the vampire’s estate to review his property portfolio and whose miniature portrait of the charming Mina drew the vampire’s attention.

Besson’s Handling and Lighthearted Touch

Besson structures Dracula’s flashback sequence of international journeys wearing flamboyant outfits with a sure hand, and he is not above providing some comedy moments reminiscent of Mel Brooks – like Dracula’s ongoing failed efforts to end his own life post-Elisabeta’s demise, along with comical sequences that occur when Dracula sprays himself using a particular scent in 18th-century Florence, which causes him to be unavoidably attractive to females. Ridiculous and watchable.

Dracula is available digitally from 1 December and for physical purchase from 22 December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.