Dracula: A Love Story

Luc Besson's *Dracula* tries to be bold and artistic but ends up as an over-stylized, slow-moving mess. While the visuals are striking, they can't hide the film's self-indulgent pacing and lack of real scares. The story drags, weighed down by pretentious themes and melodramatic performances. Dracula himself is more mopey than menacing, and the supposed emotional depth feels forced. Strangely, the film borrows heavily in tone and aesthetic from Patrick Süskind's *Perfume*-the same obsessive atmosphere, the same brooding romanticism-but without the narrative clarity or psychological sharpness. Besson's ambition to "reimagine" the legend results in a film that's more style than substance. Despite its glossy presentation, this version of *Dracula* is cold, derivative, and ultimately forgettable.

This movie could have been a masterpiece, the story, while well known, is solid, great actors, seasoned director ... however it felt pretty flat. Some bits are extremely good, while some feel almost goofy, you ask yourself Why ???? But why ????

Quite disappointing because a few logic changes, this movie would have been epic.

Really enjoyed Luc Besson's Dracula. It's dark and stylish without trying too hard. Christopher Waltz was amazing, this could be expected. And honestly, the whole cast was just beautiful to look at. The visuals, the costumes, the mood... all of it was gorgeous. Definitely worth a watch if you're into gothic stories with a fantasy touch.

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 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.