HE IS COMING

From a technical side of things, Nosferatu should be considered among the best of the year in film. Robert Eggers directs this movie in a way that feels like the most refreshing take on directing in years. The camera never sits or moves in the same way twice which was just brilliant and made for a lovely watching experience- that aspect never gets stagnant. The lighting, costume, and set departments deserve all the praise though. Some scenes were only lit with candlelight which added to the fear. The streets and houses we see the characters move through feel like they were preserved from 1800’s Germany. Also, the costume design is picture perfect. It’s not over the top but it does the job to a T. Every single actor is serving and fitting into each scene in the best way possible.

Eggers gets actors like Lily-Rose Depp to elevate her physical acting to a level you only get while watching a film from him. Nicholas Hoult plays the most scared actor I’ve ever seen as he attempts to make it through the night while the vampire himself signs a deed (which is just a hilarious thought to see put to screen in this way). The rest of the cast surrounds these two with a sense of purpose, especially Aaron-Taylor Johnson, redeeming himself after Kraven. As much as I adore Willem Dafoe, I will say he overstays his welcome a little bit here.

The story itself is basically beat for beat of the 1922 version. I’m sure there were a few things changed, but for the most part it’s just as “boring” as that original story. The dialogue and performances are what save this from being a slog with no surprises.

Now for the man himself, Nosferatu. He’s tall and forbidding when he wasn’t talking too much, because it made him feel more like an old man than a vampire. Choosing to give him a mustache was an odd choice, and it was disappointing that the title character was my least favorite part of the movie. Shadows and Bill Skarsgard’s aura do bring a nice presence to the screen thought.

This movie brings a new take on this vampire fairy tale, where I wish Eggers wouldn’t have had his female characters bedridden for a lot of the screen time. This movie does have my favorite final shot of the year, and it deserves to be watched for a second time where hopefully I’ll love it instead of like it.

7.7/10