Dracula Review – The French Director’s Love-Struck Revamp of the Classic Horror Story is Ridiculous but Entertaining

Maybe there is no great enthusiasm for a fresh take of Dracula from Luc Besson, the celebrated French director for polished extravagance. However, it’s worth noting: his lavishly upholstered love story with vampires boasts bold vision and flair – and with its B-movie charm, I might just favor over the recent, stately interpretation by Robert Eggers of Nosferatu. A few strange elements appear, like a particular moment that appears to show a geographic divide between France and Romania.

Christoph Waltz as a Clever but Weary Clergyman Hunting Vampires

Christoph Waltz embodies a clever but beleaguered cleric fighting vampires – it’s surprising he never took on this role before – who arrives in Paris in 1889 for the French Revolution centenary celebrations. Likewise present is the sinister Dracula, brought to life by the seasoned horror actor Caleb Landry Jones speaking in a twisted regional dialect similar to Steve Carell’s Gru from the Despicable Me comedies. This is a part he seemed destined to play.

The Narrative: A Saga of Heartbreak

Here’s the premise: the vampire lord has traveled ceaselessly the globe in anguish for 400 years after his transformation into a vampire, a penalty for his faithless sorrow after the passing of his wife, Elisabeta (a first film part for Zoë Bleu, daughter of Rosanna Arquette). Dracula has been searching, searching, searching for some woman who might be the rebirth of his deceased partner. Unfortunately, the chosen woman is revealed as Mina (again played by Bleu), the modest betrothed of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (played by Ewens Abid), who just traveled to Dracula’s fortress to discuss his land assets and the tiny painting of the lovely Mina caught the count’s hooded eye.

The Filmmaker’s Approach and Humorous Style

Besson organizes Dracula’s middle-section history of global roaming wearing flamboyant outfits skillfully, and he doesn’t shy away from giving us humorous scenes in the style of Mel Brooks – like Dracula’s ongoing failed efforts to end his own life post-Elisabeta’s demise, in addition to farcical scenes that result after Dracula douses himself using a particular scent in historic Florence, that renders him unavoidably attractive to females. Ridiculous and watchable.

Dracula can be streamed online from 1 December and for physical purchase from 22 December. It will be shown in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.