Dracula - Die Auferstehung

It's been almost 30 years since the last Besson film I was thrilled with. It was The Fifth Element, a daring, dynamic film by a brilliant madman... it was a long wait, but Besson is back. The cast is great, the performances are mostly Oscar-worthy, and his new in-house actor Caleb Landry Jones is a very good replacement for the unique Jean Reno. And he would be a great Joker in the style of Heath Ledger in the event of a prequel. A film with heart and soul made for the audience with an anti-hero who is hard to love, but can be understood, and can be sympathized with. I never liked Coppola's version of Bram Stocker's Dracula, and I really wanted someone to make a better version, but I really didn't expect that someone would be my favorite director from the great nineties (Nikita, Leon). I only hope that I don't have to wait another 30 years for a film this great. 10/10.

It takes real nerve to tackle Bram Stoker's most-filmed anti-hero in 2025. First, the role has already been immortalised by everyone from Bela Lugosi to Gary Oldman, so comparisons are savage. Second, gothic horror sits miles away from Luc Besson's usual playground of kinetic sci-fi (The Fifth Element) and neon crime capers (Léon). Walking in, I honestly wasn't sure whether we'd get an idiosyncratic triumph or a beautiful train wreck.

Happily, it's closer to the former. Visually, the film is a feast: swirling Carpathian blizzards bleed into candle-lit castle corridors, while Besson's trademark flair for colour and movement gives the vampire myth a fresh, almost operatic sheen. The cast meet the challenge head-on-Dracula himself is equal parts seductively reptilian and heartbreakingly lonely, and the supporting ensemble never drops the ball. I found myself grinning at several sly nods to past adaptations yet never felt trapped in pastiche.

Where the film stumbles is in the marrow of its story. The plot beats are solid but seldom surprising, and a mid-act detour about Dracula's centuries-old heartbreak lingers a few crimson drops too long. Trim twenty minutes, sharpen a couple of character arcs, and we might be talking instant classic. As it stands, Dracula is a very good film-bold, stylistically sumptuous, thoroughly entertaining-but not quite the genre-redefining masterpiece its ambition hints at.

Verdict: 7.5 / 10. Worth the ticket for the imagery and performances alone; just don't expect it to eclipse Coppola's fang-print on the legend.

It feels more like a moody fanfic than a fresh take. Visually, it's stunning. The castles, the costumes, the lighting - pure eye candy. But that's where the magic ends.

The script? Thin. The romance? Forced. Caleb Landry Jones tries hard, but the chemistry is dead on arrival. Even Christoph Waltz felt like he was sleepwalking through his scenes.

I get what Besson was aiming for-a tragic love story wrapped in gothic horror-but it never quite lands. The pacing drags, and the emotional beats feel hollow.

Is it worth watching? Maybe, if you're into atmospheric visuals. Otherwise, it's a stylish shell with not much soul.

It will be probably until the end of time - new Dracula features, year after year. This time (and I cannot really say I remember a lot others) it is focusing of Vlad's romantic character. He is not the Vampire born out of thin air - he has a beef with God almighty and he would rather die, then live countless lives without his beloved wife.

This is the base to the story and yes...Vlad carries new weapon: perfume. This one makes his surroundings to go wild and deliver him whatever he wants from them. His main goal is to retrieve his wife, and he doesn't perceive as a hedonistic person but as a man with great suffer.

The other characters are decorative and the most conspicuous from all other characters, that surrounds him is off course the Priest that we all missed lately on both types of screens: Christoph Waltz. This movie is pretty simple and doesn't try to re-invent the myth about Vampire Vlad but take another and more human direction.

Caleb Landry Jones is always a brilliant casting to main role and he is, off course, does his job fantastically. At the end of all things, it is a great version, which personally I will have difficulty to remember, due to overflowing versions over the years. And yet, it is pretty nice to see that Luc Besson is still got it.

Before giving me a thumbs down. Read at least what I have to say :)

Luc Besson's Dracula is a visually arresting, emotionally charged, and hauntingly original take on the iconic legend. From the very first frame, it's clear that this is not just another vampire film-this is Besson in full command of his craft, blending gothic horror, art-house style, and deeply human storytelling into something truly unforgettable.

The cinematography is stunning-moody shadows, rich textures, and bold color contrasts create a dreamlike atmosphere that pulls you into Dracula's cursed world. The pacing is masterful, slowly building tension while allowing the characters to breathe and evolve. And the music? A hypnotic blend of classical and modern that adds a visceral pulse to every scene.

The performances are outstanding. The lead actor's portrayal of Dracula is both terrifying and tragic, capturing the eternal conflict between monstrous hunger and lost humanity. The supporting cast adds layers of depth, especially the heroine, whose chemistry with Dracula gives the film a beating heart.

What sets this Dracula apart is its ambition. Besson doesn't just retell the story-he reimagines it, fusing romance, philosophy, and horror into a mythic, poetic experience. There are echoes of The Fifth Element in its stylization, but this is darker, more mature, and grounded in emotional truth.

This is a Dracula for the 21st century-mysterious, seductive, and deeply cinematic. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent horror and visionary filmmaking.

Verdict: A modern gothic masterpiece.