Dracula: A Love Story

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.

Dracula: A Love Tale is a new fantasy romance film directed, partially written, and produced by Luc Besson, known for The Fifth Element and Léon.

After the death of his wife, Prince Vlad (Caleb Landry Jones) turns against the church and humanity. He transforms into the vampire Dracula, retreating to his castle.

When Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid) visits, Dracula learns about his wife Mina (Zoë Bleu), who bears a striking resemblance to the woman he once lost. He becomes obsessed with her and tries to win her over. This leads to an inner conflict: can the monstrous side of him make way for the more human Vlad so that he can experience love again?

Luc Besson based this adaptation on Bram Stoker's Dracula, which has been filmed several times before. One of the most famous versions is Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) by Francis Ford Coppola. Last year, a new version of Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers, was also released. All these films essentially tell the same story of Dracula but emphasize different elements.

While Bram Stoker's Dracula is mainly a gothic-romantic story with horror elements, Nosferatu focuses more on the horror aspect. Besson also opts for the romantic angle, but takes a lot of time with it. As a result, you follow a lost, aimless Dracula who only regains direction when he meets Mina. Until then, the film feels empty and slow, much like the character himself. This emptiness is filled with familiar scenes and elements from Stoker's book, but due to their repetition, they can seem meaningless and shallow.

Though Besson places the romantic aspect at the center, he adds little new. At times, it even seems like he has removed or adjusted elements, possibly to make the film more suitable for a younger or teenage audience.

The makeup effects are fitting and effective, but with other visual effects, the CGI is clearly noticeable.

The cast delivers a solid performance but remains in the shadow of previous iconic portrayals of characters from the Dracula story, such as Gary Oldman, Bill Skarsgård, Anthony Hopkins, or Willem Dafoe.

This film is utterly tragically beautiful. I must say that i havent been stuck on a movie for decades but this movie changes everything. It has some humor and will be for sure beloved by people who love dark romance. It hasn't been reviewed greatly because some people might find it bold, but i find it very artistic. Nobody ever took this kind of twists in Dracula movies. I think people are right now a bit thrown back by this twist but i can asure you to watch this movie and be impressed by it!

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.

Dracula A Love Tale, is Luc Besson copying Coppola's homework, then trying (and failing) to change enough of it to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

The two romantic leads have chemistry, and the visuals are okay, but this movie still falls flat. Uneven pacing, superficial motivations from the supporting characters, and artistic choices that are just thrown in because, why not.

Besson refuses to commit to any real artistic choices in this film. The script might as well be written by chatGPT.