DEMETRA – DRACUL’S AWAKENING | Review of the film by Andre Øvredal

From the pages of the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Draculawas born Demeter – Dracula’s Awakening. Horror film by Andre OvredalScary stories to tell in the dark) tells about the journey to London of the merchant ship “Demeter” with Count Dracula on board and the mysterious disappearance of the crew members. Entries in the captain’s logbook translate into words a nightmare experienced by unsuspecting sailors.

Ovredal’s strengths are the claustrophobic setting and dark atmosphere: two fundamental storytelling elements that bring the Demeter, an old solid wood ship with its narrow spaces and sinister creak, to life as it sails towards oblivion. .

Demeter – Dracula’s Awakening it is a gory story (in our theaters children under 14 are not allowed to watch), never told about one of the most famous characters in gothic literature, about which we know all aspects. Indeed, the film does not dare to add anything new to the novel, on the contrary, slavishly follows it. Here is the famous actor Javier Botet (This, Scary stories to tell in the dark) brings Evil to life in a form reminiscent of F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. Demeter’s Dracula is an animalistic creature far removed from the beauty of the vampires played by Brad Pitt and Robert Pattinson.

But a hunter of this importance must have the right prey, so screenwriters Braga F. Schut, Stefan Ruzowitzky, and Zach Olkiewicz introduce a few more or less interesting characters not in Stoker’s book, such as Corey Hawkins’ Cambridge alumnus Clemens or David Dastmalchian. rude second mate Wojczek. This is a clear device that allows the viewer to empathize with the film crew, which would otherwise be just cannon fodder without a face. From Liam Cunningham as Captain Eliot to Aisling Franciosi as the mysterious stowaway Anna, the cast effectively conveys that sense of fear and helplessness, even if at the most thrilling moments we expected a feeling of pain that is almost completely absent.

Unfortunately, the film has many shortcomings, ranging from excessive running time approaching two hours. Cunningham’s narrative structure is too repetitive, and already knowing the end result of the journey, yawns are just around the corner. Another obvious criticism is the CGI, which the director uses wisely in very few scenes, demonstrating the importance of traditional old movie techniques such as prosthetic makeup.

Demeter – Awakening of Dracula pleasantly surprised and will satisfy all those viewers who are not afraid of horror films about vampires (including because there is no alternative to them). It’s not a masterpiece, but the film offers a brutal taste of Dracula’s bloodthirstiness at a time when stories of monsters and ghosts were told around lampposts in the middle of the night.

(Demeter – Dracula’s Awakening Andre Ovredal. 2023, horror, 118 min)

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