Directed by André Øvredal
Starring Corey Hawkins, David Dastmalchian, Liam Cunningham, Aisling Franciosi, Woody Norman, and Javier Botet

Don’t get too excited now, horror fans, when I state The Last Voyage of the Demeter is the scariest Dracula film I’ve seen to date. While there is no disputing the fact Dracula’s appearance here makes most vampires I’ve seen in other films look harmless enough for a Play School cameo, my statement is more a reflection of the very few Dracula movies I’ve actually seen. M rated films Van Helsing and Dracula Untold certainly weren’t all that frightening and the Hotel Transylvania franchise hardly counts now, does it!?

Rather accurately described by Norwegian Director André Øvredal as Alien on a ship (in 1897) and adapted from a chapter in Bram Stoker’s novel, almost all of the action takes place onboard the Demeter as the merchant ship makes its way from Carpathia to London. Needless to say, among the private cargo that’s been brought onboard is something that certainly wouldn’t make it past customs nowadays! Unfortunately though for the crew, which includes the ship’s captain, a doctor, and a stowaway, among others, they’ll be discovering Dracula’s deadly presence onboard in the most terrifying ways possible.

If I were focusing on efficiency, I could truly sum up this film in those four aforementioned words – Dracula on a ship. The rest, you would know reasonably well what to expect. With little storytelling and characterisation transpiring throughout the voyage, a stronger reliance inevitably falls onto the ways in which Dracula terrorises and terminates his victims, one by one. I can’t speak for every horror and especially Dracula fan out there, but I can say there are reasonable efforts employed to make the slowly progressing body count increasingly chilling and effectively executed.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter, or whatever it prefers to be called, likes to keep visibility of its antagonist low by often having him emerge from various elements such as mist and darkness. Though I believe more creativity could have come by way of its writing, the film’s use of lighting, sound and its camerawork throughout these sequences are all very effective. Ordinarily, I’m not so easily startled, but do admit to succumbing to more of its jump-scare tactics.

Because the movie begins by revealing the conclusion to its ill-fated voyage, a pro and a con are formed. The pro is indeed a repeating sense of dread for some of the personnel onboard, including a kid and a dog, each time Dracula selects them as his next prey. The con is knowing what to expect, at least to an extent, and waiting for it to happen bloats its overlong near two hour duration.

I’ve opted for 3 stars as per below, but it’s a 3 star rating that’s closer to (but not quite) 3 and a half.

The Last Voyage of the Demete is showing in cinemas across Australia from August 10th.

Moviedoc thanks Studiocanal and Annette Smith: Ned & Co for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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