Dracula Review – Luc Besson’s Love-Struck Revamp of the Gothic Classic is Outlandish but Entertaining

Perhaps interest is limited for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for glossiness and bloat. And yet, it’s worth noting: his opulently crafted vampire romance displays creativity and style – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, I might just favor over Eggers’s dignified recent take of Nosferatu. There are some very bizarre touches, including one shot that seems to depict a land border between France and Romania.

Waltz as a Humorously Exhausted Clergyman Hunting Vampires

Christoph Waltz portrays a clever but beleaguered man of the church pursuing the undead – it feels natural for him to tackle this character previously – who ends up in Paris in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The same goes for the sinister Dracula, played by the seasoned horror actor Caleb Landry Jones speaking in a twisted regional dialect reminiscent of Carell’s Gru character of the Despicable Me series. This is a part he seemed destined to play.

The Plot: A Chronicle of Longing

Here’s the premise: the vampire lord has been restlessly roaming the globe in anguish over four centuries since he became undead, a penalty due to his blasphemous mourning after the passing of his wife, Elisabeta (a first film part for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). the vampire has sought relentlessly for some woman who could be the reincarnation of his lost love. Unfortunately, the fortunate female proves to be Mina (again played by Bleu), the reserved future wife of Dracula’s wimpish land agent, Jonathan Harker (enacted by Ewens Abid), who has recently been to the count’s castle to negotiate his property portfolio and whose miniature portrait of the winsome Mina drew the vampire’s attention.

The Filmmaker’s Approach and Lighthearted Touch

Besson structures Dracula’s second-act backstory of international journeys in various outrageous costumes skillfully, and he is not above providing funny bits with a distinctly Mel Brooks flavour – like Dracula’s ongoing failed efforts to end his own life post-Elisabeta’s demise, as well as farcical scenes that result after Dracula douses himself using a particular scent during the 1700s in Florence, which causes him to be compelling to the opposite sex. Ridiculous and watchable.

Dracula is on digital platforms starting December 1st and on DVD and Blu-ray from December 22nd. It screens in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.