Nosferatu

The 1922 silent vampire classic gets a modern makeover with Robert Eggers' remake. Set in 1830s-era Germany, Nosferatu follows the resurrection of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), an undead Transylvanian nobleman with a terrifying mustache and bloodlust. As Orlok seeks the wife of estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), a dark and twisted connection seems to be between the Count and Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp). Meanwhile, the fear of a rat-induced plague and paranoia of the occult envelop the town.

Stylish Gothic fantasy powered by unnerving sexual energy. From the slow-burning Satanic panic of The Witch to the monochrome claustrophobia of The Lighthouse to the Nordic Hamlet drama of The Northman, writer-director Robert Eggers has proven his stylistic flair in period horror. His take on Nosferatu is no exception, with its Tim Burton-esque visuals oozing with grimy dread and Gothic brilliance. Jarin Blaschke's moody cinematography adds life to a hundred shades of black and grey under the moonlight. And when the screen transitions to fiery red and orange, one can't help but recall the vintage sepia tones of the 1922 original. But as stylistically old-school as it feels, Eggers ensures that his 2+ hours epic adds more to the all-too-familiar myth of Count Orlok (Count Dracula with a changed name for copyright reasons). Sticking close to Bram Stoker's original novel and Dracula's inspiration from the tyrannical ruler Vlad the Impaler, Bill Skarsgard's Count Orlok speaks in a raspy Eastern European drawl and dons a thick, grisly mustache. Eggers also taps further into the sexually transgressive nature of the blood-sucking villain as Orlok seeks Lily-Rose Depp's Ellen with a hair-raising bloodlust. The remake doesn't hold back on Orlok's sexually depraved nature, creating genuine discomfort and raising eyebrows among audiences who might have expected a more straightforward horror.

Can feel bloated with a divisive ending. So, with Eggers sticking close to the various source materials in hand, does he hit the stake right in the chest? Partly. While Nosferatu's stylistic brilliance can easily appeal to Gothic nerds, the remake can be too ambitious for its own good. In all fairness, Nosferatu pulls off an impressive feat in fleshing out the many supporting characters of the story (all the while letting Orlok shadow them all in the background). Throughout this visually striking remake, Eggers sprinkles new elements to the original's lore, such as Ellen's dream-linked past with Count Orlok, a higher kill count for the Count, and a deeper look into occultism. Alas, it all builds up to a slightly underwhelming and all-too-predictable ending twist. His mythological additions aside, Eggers is heavily faithful to the original. One can only wish that a modern horror maestro like him rewrote the rules and pulled the rug under our feet in the very end.

Lily-Rose Depp is in full form as a new-age scream queen. Bill Skarsgård might play the titular character, but Nosferatu is a terrific showcase for Lily-Rose Depp. The ensemble cast boasts expectedly in-tune performances by Nicholas Hoult and Willem Dafoe (and even a hilariously over-the-top turn by Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a "modern scientific" man among the vampire-believing characters). But the real star here is Rose Depp, who plays Ellen with dove-eyed sensitivity and jaw-dropping intensity. In some notable practically executed scenes of vampire possession, the actress freakishly contorts her face, rolls her eyes, and flicks her tongue uncomfortably. And you thought the vampire was the scary bit in Nosferatu! Given its 19th-century setting, Ellen faces restrictions due to the era's chauvinism. And with every Dracula retelling reducing the heroine to hypersexualized prey for the beast, it's hard to balance a lore-accurate vampire story and a bold female character. Still, Eggers somewhat succeeds in giving more agency to Ellen as we see her lure in the fanged, mustachioed Transylvanian. And despite the character's limitations, Rose Depp's terrifying lead act is enough to leave a lasting impression.