Dracula Movie Critique – Luc Besson’s Romantic Reimagining of the Classic Horror Story is Ridiculous but Watchable

It’s possible there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the celebrated French director for stylish excess. Still, one must admit: his lavishly upholstered love story with vampires displays creativity and style – and in all its Hammer-y cheesiness, I might just favor to it to Eggers’s dignified recent take of Nosferatu. Odd details emerge, like a particular moment that appears to show a geographic divide between France and Romania.

Christoph Waltz as a Witty Yet Careworn Vampire-Hunting Priest

Christoph Waltz plays a humorous yet burdened vampire-hunting priest – it feels natural for him to tackle this character previously – who arrives in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. Likewise present is the malevolent vampire count, brought to life by the expert in grotesque roles Caleb Landry Jones using a distorted Eastern European tone evoking Carell’s Gru character in the Despicable Me films. It’s a role he seemed destined to play.

The Plot: A Saga of Heartbreak

Here’s the premise: the count has been restlessly roaming the world in torment for hundreds of years following his rise as one of the undead, a penalty due to his blasphemous mourning following the loss of his wife, Elisabeta (a movie debut role 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 turns out to be Mina (portrayed once more by Bleu), the reserved future wife of Dracula’s feeble property handler, Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), who just traveled to Dracula’s fortress to negotiate his property portfolio and the tiny painting of the lovely Mina drew the vampire’s attention.

Besson’s Handling and Lighthearted Touch

Besson organizes Dracula’s flashback sequence of worldwide travels sporting extravagant attire with a sure hand, and he willingly includes giving us humorous scenes reminiscent of Mel Brooks – like the vampire’s constant unsuccessful tries to commit suicide following Elisabeta’s passing, in addition to comical sequences that follow Dracula applies to himself in a certain perfume in 18th-century Florence, that renders him unavoidably attractive to females. Absurd yet engaging.

Dracula is on digital platforms beginning on the first of December and in disc format from 22 December. It plays in Australian cinemas starting February 5, 2026.