Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Passionate Revamp of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Ridiculous but Watchable

Perhaps there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for stylish excess. And yet, it has to be said: his lavishly upholstered vampire romance has ambition and panache – and amid its theatrical camp, it could be preferable over the recent, stately interpretation by Robert Eggers of Nosferatu. Odd details emerge, including one shot that seems to depict a territorial boundary between France and Romania.

Christoph Waltz as a Witty Yet Careworn Priest Tracking the Undead

Christoph Waltz embodies a humorous yet burdened cleric fighting vampires – it feels natural for him to tackle this role before – who finds himself in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. So does the sinister Dracula, brought to life by the body-horror veteran Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent reminiscent of Steve Carell’s Gru of the Despicable Me series. This character he seemed destined to play.

The Story: A Tale of Love and Loss

The story is this: the vampire lord has wandered endlessly the earth in sorrow for 400 years after his transformation into a vampire, a punishment for his faithless sorrow over the death of his wife, Elisabeta (an inaugural screen appearance for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has sought relentlessly for a female who could be the reincarnation of his deceased partner. Unfortunately, the fortunate female is revealed as Mina (again played by Bleu), the demure fiancee of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who just traveled to Dracula’s fortress to discuss his real estate holdings and the tiny painting of the charming Mina drew the vampire’s attention.

The Filmmaker’s Approach and Comic Flair

Besson arranges Dracula’s flashback sequence of international journeys sporting extravagant attire confidently, and he willingly includes giving us funny bits with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to commit suicide post-Elisabeta’s demise, as well as farcical scenes that follow Dracula douses himself using a particular scent during the 1700s in Florence, which makes him irresistible to women. Absurd yet engaging.

Dracula is on digital platforms beginning on the first of December and on DVD and Blu-ray starting the twenty-second of December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.