In a world of uncanny CGI Lion King remakes and live-action nightmares, Robert Eggers’ reimagining of the 1922 silent film Nosferatu lived up to my initial expectations of: “Alright, that was sort of okay.” Eggers, known for directing films such as The Lighthouse and The Witch, continues flaunting his traditionally gothic directing and storytelling style. The original Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors film, directed by F.W Murnau, was a pivotal movie jumpstarting the horror film franchise, continuing to inspire new techniques in filmmakers for decades. 2024’s Nosferatu hasn’t been the only movie taking direct inspiration from the original, with Werner Horzog’s 1979 and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 renditions of the classic, which also take elements from 1931’s Dracula.
In the plot of Nosferatu, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) is continuously haunted by vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard, also known for his role as Pennywise in the 2017 rendition of IT). At the start of the film, Ellen is enamored with her husband, Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), however, he is forced to depart momentarily for his real estate job. Thomas visits Count Orlok at his Hungarian castle, where Thomas immediately senses something is off through the surrounding villagers’ spiritual readings and warnings. Trapped within his walls, Thomas eventually realizes that the Count wants one thing more than life itself: his wife. Meanwhile, back in their German hometown, Ellen continues to have further visions and seizures as Orlock’s grip hardens. Those who love Ellen, such as Thomas and their two friends Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Anna (Emma Corrin), attempt to save her from her bewitchment, but they are diagnosed with death and despair. Through continuous failed attempts, Thomas brings in Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Defoe), an academic invested in everything occult. With joint attempts, Thomas and the Professor attempt to save Ellen from the bony clutches of the vampire-but as the film progresses, the likelihood of love diminishes the possibility.
Despite appearing actually hilarious at some moments, Depp’s hysteric acting and swinging mannerisms were perfect for the role. The continuous seizures and eyes rolling into the back of the brain are jarring and horrifying, exemplifying fear and discomfort. The first two acts are entertaining and awe-worthy, but the quality of the story dips down with the introduction of Dafoe’s character, who is clearly there just for the rats, a good time and an oversimplification of the plot. However, the cinematography is breathtaking; it brings homage to the original while being filled with new extensive visually appealing ideas.
Even though the film is melodramatically gorgeous, elements of the plots being puffed up and drawn on takes a toll on the patience of the audience. Horrifying at moments, this movie is a must-watch for those who wanted to see Depp’s theatrical redemption after her lead role in The Weekend’s disastrous 2023 project The Idol.
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