The film "Nosferatu," directed by Robert Eggers, was released on Christmas Day.
It featured Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok, Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter, and Willem Dafoe as Professor Albin Eberhart. The actors in this film created an intriguing gothic vampire film. This is for a mature audience only due to sexual and violent content.
This film is about a gothic tale of a vampire named Orlok, obsessed with this young woman, Ellen. Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), Ellen's husband, travels to this estate, planning to sell the property to Orlok. When arriving at the estate, he runs into the complication of being involved with a terrifying vampire who can control him.
Highs
The characteristics of Orlok were intriguing and similar to those of the original film. The special effects makeup of Orlok was impressive and created a frightful look. Skarsgard's appearance and voice were unrecognizable in this film. The old vampire's voice is imposing, revealing his dark features.
Another high was the cast. Depp's performance portrayed a strong ability to create deep emotions of the fear and vulnerability her character experienced when her husband was missing. Depp’s ability to represent her fearful scream in the scenes involving Orlok was excellent. The chemistry between Skarsgard and Depp was compelling; it was a mixture of lust and fear. She performed an exorcism sense that captured the intensity of being possessed by the vampire.
The pacing of this film was a highlight, considering that it was slow, but the details that are significant to the storyline were captured. The tension of this film is suspenseful when it comes to Orlok leaving the castle and going after the woman he wants.
The film's visual aesthetic was imagined as a dark gothic representation. It had the haunting atmosphere that is needed in this dark era. The castle of Orlok was dark and frightening, emphasizing the public's fears about the vampires. The character Professor Albin, portrayed by Dafoe, was entertaining and exceptional. Dafoe showed the emotions of a crazy professor well and made the audience laugh.
Hoult's acting shows the amount of fear distilled into his character. He was determined to destroy the vampire no matter the cost. He conveyed a journey to the vampire’s castle, in which he was naive and thought there were no consequences for making a deal with Orlok. The love he showed his wife Ellen was deep, and he would do anything to protect her. The intense chemistry between these characters heightened the stakes of losing her.
The last high of this film was the score music, considering how it portrayed this gothic sense. It was chilling for the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seats. It maintained the silent aspects of the film during the intense moments, specifically during the Ellen and Orlok meeting.
Lows
There were minimal lows within this film. The main low could be the audience's pacing issues, considering this is a traditional gothic film. It shows an older period that could distract the audience from paying attention to the essential details.
This was a more modernized film from the original "Nosferatu" in 1922, a silent film. It could create a disconnect of how the original movie captured the essence of the story. The film's horror aspect was minimal, with fewer jump scares than expected. It was more creepy than scary for the audience.
The last low point was that the film could sometimes be confusing due to its use of old English, which can lead to the audience missing the point. The film also has dark aspects that can be triggering for some people. It is gory at times and contains intensely sexual scenes in the interactions between Orlok and Ellen.
Verdict
"Nosferatu" is worth the watch, considering how beautifully it was put together. It had a strong cast that did an incredible job of portraying each character.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Mariam Fakhreddine is a film and theater reviewer for The Eastern Echo. She has worked as a news and features reporter for The Echo for two years.
