In 1922, the world was introduced to Count Orlok, now commonly known as Nosferatu, played by Max Schreck. His horrific appearance set the stage for what was arguably one of the most influential horror movie characters ever.
In 1979, director Werner Herzog put his own spin on the character, which was an homage to the original while simultaneously being an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The original was an unofficial adaptation.
Now it’s 2024 and writer/director Robert Eggers of The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman has made his own version. For the most part, it’s a horror movie that does honor the previous efforts but also puts its own stamp on the mythology. That has its pluses and minuses.
The story stays true to the spirit of the source material by setting up Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlok, a vampiric monstrosity who wants to sell his dilapidated castle in 1838 Germany. Nicholas Hoult plays Thomas Hutter, a real estate agent in charge of closing the deal in Transylvania, where the Count resides.
Skarsgard brings a grotesque and menacing presence to the character, and it’s genuinely frightening. He’s very much in the same vein as his predecessors in the sense that he doesn’t hide his hideous physical features, such as his distorted head and slender body. That remains relatively consistent despite much of the movie keeping Orlok in the dark. It actually adds to the foreboding tone.
Lily-Rose Depp costars as Thomas’ wife, Ellen, who was haunted by a supernatural creature as a child and now has a premonition that same creature is out to haunt her and her husband. She ended up getting seizures as a child from the creature and her premonitions intensify into adulthood after Orlok realizes the connection between Thomas and Ellen. Depp gives an emotionally charged performance, but there are also moments where she becomes hysterical, to the point that it’s borderline campy.
Thomas and Ellen need help to face the impending threat and so they call for outside help. Aaron Taylor-Johnson costars as a skeptic reluctantly drawn into the fight. Ralph Ineson is a doctor who tries to cure Ellen of her supposed insanity and Willem Dafoe is a scientist who has experience in dealing with the occult.
From a purely technical perspective, Nosferatu soars as a film dripping with atmosphere at every turn. The production design, costumes, makeup, and score are sensational to the point that they all add to the atmosphere rather than undermine it. There’s a great sense of German Expression in scene after scene, with ominous shots highlighting the sinister, brooding design, and it really does feel like it’s taking inspiration from the 1922 original.
However, its narrative structure occasionally loses momentum due to some deliberately paved scenes, which somewhat grind the movie to a halt. I think scenes with the obligatory exposition could’ve been handled better by showing us more of Count Orlok’s powers.
This version of Nosferatu is effective entertainment, and I’m recommending it for its remarkable visual flair. Eggers’ respect for the material elevates the performances.
Nothing will ever match the symphony of horror quite like the original did, but this Nosferatu has enough bite.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for bloody violent content, graphic nudity and some sexual content.)
