DIRECTOR
Robert Eggers
The Northman, The Lighthouse, The Witch

STARS
Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Ralph Ineson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, and Simon McBurney

Having seen all 3 of Robert Eggers previous films and after watching the 1922 silent film original for the very first time just 2 days prior to my screening of this Nosferatu remake, I was heavily optimistic he is the best suited filmmaker for this project. Though Eggers is not one of my personal favourites, the reasons in which I felt sure he was an ideal candidate proved true well before the final credits were rolling. Cinematically, it is difficult to dispute Nosferatu’s magnificence. At the same time, there are a small handful or so of decisions made that constantly keep it from being all-round excellent.

Where the century old genre classic, an unauthorised and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, accomplished far more with far less at its disposal, this gothic supernatural horror remake maintains its core and heavily expands upon its source material both plot wise and visually.

Ellen Hutter (played by Lily-Rose Depp) is married to a young real estate agent Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) in 1838 in Wisborg, Germany, who is summoned by his employer, Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) to travel to the estate of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and sell him property. Orlok wishes to buy right in the vicinity of the Hutter’s, making Thomas the perfect salesman. While apart, however, the young couple encounter separate yet somehow connected phenomena. Ellen struggles immediately and immensely without her husband, with her increasingly concerning behaviour leading friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) to believe her past melancholy has made an abrupt return. Thomas is immediately uncomfortable once arriving at the deserted castle of his client and simply seeks a speedy signature before rushing to return home to his wife. Orlok, though, has no intention of letting his guest exit quickly and it soon becomes apparent he is seeking to acquire more than just a neighbouring property.

If you have seen the 1922 Nosferatu, then you will have noted a number of commonalities outlined above present in this remake, among other things! So then, what does 2024 Nosferatu (released on the 1st day of 2025) bring to the table and how do these additions and/or changes fare?

Well, for starters, it boasts stunning imagery, just as the original did. Except this time, laces of colour are intermittently washed over the predominantly black & white production. Also like the original, Nosferatu is extremely effective with its music and camerawork. Clearly, there is a lot more that can be done with advanced technology more than 100 years later, and it is fair to say that 2024 Nosferatu deserves to be labelled artistically rendered.

One department there is a complete diversion, however, is the method of communication the film utilises to tell us its story. This is no silent film. The decision itself is more than acceptable and perfectly understandable. Decisions made that branch of that though are questionable. For instance, like all other characters in this production, Count Orlok (or Nosferatu if you like) is vocal. His manner speech is… unorthodox. A part of me appreciated this, but a larger part of me was frustrated by how difficult this character’s dialogue often was to interpret, especially when the powerful sounds of the film were at peak volumes.

One factor that did become evident to me throughout is just how broad an audience 2024 Nosferatu is aiming to attract and enthral. This works more against it than it does for it. Some of its horror scenes are truly horrifying, but another understandable albeit less acceptable deviation from the original is its predilection to be graphic in every way imaginable – violence, blood and gore, sex, nudity. Yes, Nosferatu has opted for the smorgasbord of sin. Overall, I am fine that. But what disappoints is how it allows itself to devour typical horror gimmicks too frequently, which ultimately sever its own quality. It is much more effective and polished in this department when its outstanding production capabilities are at the fore to unsettle its audience. 

Finally, I am not convinced that Lily-Rose Depp is the right actress or is ready for such a role. For me, Lily was nothing more than present on screen, and I would much rather have had someone such as Aisling Franciosi (recently seen in Speak No Evil) cast in this role. Dare I say it, she has more bite, which is something I felt was lacking. 

Nosferatu is showing in cinemas across Australia from January 1st.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures for the invitation to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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