Tom (played by Nicholas Hoult) and his wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) are happily married, though they struggle financially. That could change when his boss Knock (Simon McBurney) asks him to take on a special assignment: traveling from Germany to the Carpathian Mountains to arrange the sale of a dilapidated manor house for the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). His journey is filled with unsettling signs and warnings, people urging him to turn back—but he presses onward until he reaches the castle and meets his host. What Tom believes is the contract for the house turns out to be something else entirely, as he begins experiencing torment in his dreams. Far away, Ellen also suffers, prompting his friend Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) to seek help from Dr. Sievers (Ralph Ineson), who then consults with the scientifically discredited Prof. von Franz (Willem Dafoe). There are no clear explanations for what’s happening, and the professor quickly concludes that evil is at play—that Ellen's husband's disappearance, his employer’s absence, and a sudden infestation of rats are all connected to supernatural forces causing her sadness. A solution may exist, but it requires a significant sacrifice from young Ellen; otherwise, can her husband and his friends find another way? I don’t usually enjoy films split into two parts, however, I think that might have been a better approach for Robert Eggers. The film includes a brief historical introduction to the Count and the origins of Ellen's troubles, but for the first hour we don't really get to know the characters well enough or properly establish the mystical elements. He seems too reliant on our familiarity with the story of "Nosferatu" rather than Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” I would have appreciated more detail about that timeline. Once Orlok begins his journey and arrives in town, where his harsh actions cause distress and fear, the pace quickens, as if the film is rushing to its end. There isn't enough time to let the sense of dread build up. While the visuals are impressively bleak, much of the acting feels rather lifeless. Hoult occasionally conveys some genuine terror, but Aaron Taylor-Johnson seems stiff; it takes too long for Depp to showcase what she can do with this underdeveloped character, and we don’t see nearly enough of the monstrous Orlok to understand what the story is really about. It's a dark, gloomy gothic romance—a tale of deceit and betrayal—and I wanted more. I wished I felt more connected to the characters: that I could empathize, feel sorry for them, or even be afraid. Perhaps a director’s cut will appear? It’s enjoyable on a large screen, but I have to admit I was somewhat let down.

Source on TMDB