Robert Eggers’ take on Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” feels familiar. The story unfolds in 1838, centering around a newly married couple living near the Baltic Sea in Germany. The wife (Lily-Rose Depp) experiences disturbing dreams, and the husband (Nicholas Hoult) must travel to Transylvania on business. This trip leads him to Count Orlok’s (Bill Skarsgård) castle, which takes a terrifying turn, but things worsen when the Count arrives at his rundown estate in Wisburg. Eggers wrote and directed “Nosferatu” (2024), drawing inspiration from Henrik Galeen's screenplay for the 1922 film, Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, as well as elements from films like "Suspiria" (1977), "Castle Freak," and possession movies such as “The Exorcist.” I was reminded of Coppola’s 1992 adaptation throughout. The main characters appear in both films, though their names are different, and the setting shifts from London to the fictional town of Wisburg in Germany. Willem Dafoe takes on the role of von Franz, replacing Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing; Simon McBurney portrays Knock instead of Tom Waits’ Renfield; Emma Corrin is Anna, stepping in for Sadie Frost's Lucy, and so forth. The production values are excellent, similar to Coppola’s film. However, this version is considerably more frightening and unsettling—it’s the creepiest Dracula I’ve encountered on screen. Still, it doesn’t have the same lavishness, sensuality, or entertainment value as “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” nor does it match Frank Langella’s 1979 film or many of the Hammer films. While this lacks the romantic storyline that Coppola and writer James Hart incorporated into Stoker's narrative, there is a comparable connection with Orlok's attraction to Mina—or rather, Ellen (Depp). I was engaged for roughly the first hour, but my attention began to wane in the second half; Coppola’s film had this problem too, though not as severely. I did appreciate the ending, and I prefer the authentic European locations over Coppola's studio sets (which were impressive nonetheless). The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 12 minutes, with the Extended Cut adding four more minutes—the version I watched. Filming took place at Barrandov Studios in Prague, Czech Republic, with location shooting at Rožmitál pod Třemšínem Castle and Pernštejn Castle, as well as Prague's Invalidovna complex. Additional exterior shots were filmed at Corvin Castle in Romania. GRADE: B/B-

Source on TMDB