Dracula Film Analysis – Luc Besson’s Romantic Reinterpretation of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Absurd but Watchable
It’s possible audiences aren’t clamoring for a new version of Dracula from Luc Besson, the filmmaker known for polished extravagance. However, it has to be said: his opulently crafted romantic vampire tale boasts bold vision and flair – 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, such as a scene that appears to show a land border between France and Romania.
Christoph Waltz as a Humorously Exhausted Clergyman Hunting Vampires
Christoph Waltz portrays a humorous yet burdened vampire-hunting priest – I can’t believe he hasn’t played such a part earlier – who ends up in Paris in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The same goes for the sinister Dracula, brought to life by the seasoned horror actor Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent similar to Steve Carell’s Gru of the Despicable Me series. This character that he too was born to take on.
The Plot: A Tale of Love and Loss
The plot unfolds as follows: the vampire lord has traveled ceaselessly the globe in torment for 400 years following his rise as one of the undead, a consequence for his irreligious grief over the death of his beloved Elisabeta (an inaugural screen appearance for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has been searching, searching, searching for a female who might be the return of his departed beloved. Unfortunately, the lucky lady is revealed as Mina (again played by Bleu), the demure fiancee of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the count’s castle to discuss his property portfolio and whose miniature portrait of the winsome Mina caught the count’s hooded eye.
Besson’s Direction and Lighthearted Touch
Besson arranges Dracula’s flashback sequence of international journeys wearing flamboyant outfits confidently, and he doesn’t shy away from offering funny bits in the style of Mel Brooks – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to end his own life following Elisabeta’s passing, along with comical sequences that occur when Dracula applies to himself in a certain perfume during the 1700s in Florence, which causes him to be irresistible to women. Ridiculous and watchable.
Dracula is on digital platforms from 1 December and on DVD and Blu-ray from December 22nd. It will be shown in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.
