There were two reasons why I went to the cinema for the premiere of Dracula. The first reason is the director: the film was made by Luc Besson, who has given us several dozen cult films. The second reason is Christoph Waltz, one of my favorite actors, who quite often plays villains, but here, on the contrary, took on a positive role.
Now about what I think of this movie. There is no hidden meaning or messages here that would be worth examining or analyzing separately. This film is not based on real events and does not tell a story I would want to learn more about. Faith, hope, and love are the typical components of any drama, and this film is no exception.
So for anyone thinking this is a full-fledged horror movie, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you a little. It’s more of a horror-lite, where the main character — Dracula — doesn’t repel you, but rather makes you empathize with him.
That said, the film is beautifully shot and quite grand in scale. Moreover, if for a moment I set aside my usual principle of mostly watching films with deep meaning or based on real events, this one can still be quite enjoyable. So if you’re not into complex cinema and just want to relax while watching a beautiful film with good music, atmosphere, and striking visuals, then Dracula might very well be to your liking.
