Nosferatu
Nosferatu comes out in theaters December 25th. Rated R. Common Sense says 16+.
A Gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgard) infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
STORY: A-
The story’s strength lies in its vibes, not its plot.
The film’s meager - some might fairly call weak - plot doesn’t demand its long runtime. But I’m grateful for it because it allowed me to spend that much more time in its eerie, hypnotic universe.
Bring a cozy blanket, an ample supply of wooden stakes, and relish every moment you get to spend in this terrible and beautifully horrific world.
PEOPLE: A-
Over-the-top acting rules the night.
Sometimes a great film gets sunk by a single actor’s rogue, hammy performance. Thankfully, everyone in Nosferatu is on the same page, meaning every performance is melodramatic and extreme.
Let me be clear: this is a wonderful thing. The ridiculously over-emotive performances are intentional, and they work together to augment the film’s delicious atmosphere.
FILM NERD STUFF: A+
Arguably the most beautiful film of the year.
Writer-director Eggers never skips a chance to play with light, shadow, and intricate framing (the castle sequence is a standout among standouts in this regard). His cinematic virtuosity casts a spell over the audience that rivals the Count’s terrible powers.
ONE BIG LESSON: C+
Keeping up with the Joneses often comes with a price.
Don’t let the success of those around you push you to take the first job you can find. Especially if your boss’s first ask is that you travel to a little known country to meet with an eccentric, raspy-voiced mystery client. Something better will come along. I promise.
FINAL COMMENTS:
This film is a work of art first, a horror flick second. Eggers isn’t content merely terrifying us. He’s got to do it in the most gorgeous, Gothic, Shakespearean way possible.
Eggers’s film frightens us the same way a vampire does. Not through a parade of campy jump scares, but by weaving a hypnotic spell we have no power to resist.