Dracula Review – Besson’s Romantic Reimagining of the Timeless Gothic Tale is Absurd but Entertaining

Maybe there is no great enthusiasm for a new version of Dracula from Luc Besson, the French maestro for polished extravagance. And yet, it has to be said: his lavishly upholstered vampire romance boasts bold vision and flair – and with its B-movie charm, I might just favor over Robert Eggers’s recent, solemnly classy version of Nosferatu. There are some very bizarre touches, such as a scene that appears to show a geographic divide between France and Romania.

Waltz as a Clever but Weary Clergyman Hunting Vampires

Christoph Waltz portrays a humorous yet burdened cleric fighting vampires – it’s surprising he never took on this character previously – who finds himself in Paris in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. So does the evil Count Dracula, brought to life by the expert in grotesque roles Caleb Landry Jones with a mangled central European accent reminiscent of Steve Carell’s Gru in the Despicable Me films. This character he seemed destined to play.

The Narrative: A Tale of Love and Loss

The plot unfolds as follows: Dracula has wandered endlessly the earth in sorrow over four centuries after his transformation into a vampire, a penalty for his irreligious grief over the death of his wife, Elisabeta (a first film part for Zoë Bleu, the offspring of Rosanna Arquette). The count has sought relentlessly for a lady who might be the rebirth of his departed beloved. Unfortunately, the chosen woman turns out to be Mina (again played by Bleu), the reserved future wife of the count’s timid estate manager, Jonathan Harker (enacted by Ewens Abid), who lately visited to the vampire’s estate to review his real estate holdings and the tiny painting of the lovely Mina attracted Dracula’s gaze.

Besson’s Handling and Lighthearted Touch

Besson arranges Dracula’s flashback sequence of global roaming in various outrageous costumes skillfully, and he is not above providing funny bits in the style of Mel Brooks – such as the count’s repeated and futile attempts to commit suicide post-Elisabeta’s demise, as well as farcical scenes that occur when Dracula sprays himself with a specific fragrance in 18th-century Florence, which makes him compelling to the opposite sex. Absurd yet engaging.

Dracula is on digital platforms from 1 December and for physical purchase from 22 December. It screens in Australian cinemas from 5 February 2026.