Movie Review: ‘Dracula’

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Review by James Lindorf

Dracula is the greatest of our fictional monsters. He can be a savage beast like the Wolf-Man, or a tragic figure wandering the world alone like Frankenstein. Still, none of them bring the power of seduction or a dozen other abilities and rules as he can. There have been over 200 films that have been direct adaptations of, or were at least inspired by, Bram Stoker’s 1897 creation. As you can guess, most of those films fall into the horror genre, several into action, and there have been at least two terrible comedies. While love has occasionally made an appearance, it is typically the love between victims and their protectors, or the people they would leave behind, that drives the characters, if not the story. Director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) has found a muse in Caleb Landry Jones and, in his search for their next project, landed on Dracula and the love story that spans centuries, originally titling the project “Dracula: A Love Tale” before releasing the film in his home country of France in 2025 simply as “Dracula.” Now, much like the character, after months of travelling, the film is reaching a new land when it opens in North America on February 8th.

When 15th-century Prince Vladimir of Wallachia (Caleb Landry Jones) witnesses the death of his wife Elisabeta (Zoë Bleu), he renounces God and damns heaven itself for the betrayal. Cursed with eternal life, he is reborn as Dracula, destined to live off the lives of others and await the return of his beloved. After centuries of searching, during a real estate transaction with the Parisian solicitor Jonathan Harker (Ewens Abid), Dracula discovers that Harker’s fiancée, Mina (Zoë Bleu), is the reincarnation he seeks. On the verge of reuniting, Dracula is hunted by a relentless priest (Christoph Waltz), sworn to end his immortal reign.

“Dracula” is clearly financially deficient, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an occasionally beautiful film. Great costumes, awful CGI exteriors, strong makeup work on Jones, poor CGI gargoyles more at home in Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Getting something better than the price tag would seem to dictate should be no surprise, as Luc Besson’s ability to create striking imagery has never been in question. He and cinematographer Colin Wandersman combined to create quite possibly the best-looking image I will see all year. Jones’ Dracula in a church, in the Christ pose, surrounded by nuns who fight his magnetism with the strength of their faith, and failing is beautiful and horrific. Whether it will hold up is to be determined, but I do know it is the best I have seen since the “Nosferatu” crossroads scene in 2024.

“Dacula” 2025 is an eternal love story. Every bit of Dracula’s motivation serves one of two purposes. To renounce and punish God and search for Elisabeta. His undying devotion means that a few elements of traditional Dracula lore had to go. He is not a charming Lothario, which means the Three Brides, who are his typical companions and the guardians of his castle, are out and in their place the gargoyles. They are not characters in the traditional sense, but they do get to have some comedic moments and be involved in the action. Beyond their look, the most significant problem with them is that their existence is explained in the most blink-and-you-miss-it way possible, which can cause confusion during the climax.

I do admire the ambition it takes to turn a monster into a lover, and Dracula is the best choice for that. Still, the execution is too inconsistent for “Dracula” 2025 to be great. Jones, Waltz, and Bleu were committed and gave good performances, especially Jones, but they are occasionally saddled with silly behavior or ill-fitting dialogue. “The Fifth Element” is one of my all-time favorite films, so I always want to love the next Luc Besson picture, but he needed help with the screenplay. He has written good movies before, but his lack of interest in the character and the genre comes through in the sloppy plotting, and a talented cast and impressive visuals can’t save it. That does not mean the film is irredeemable; it has its moments and successes, and comes in at a 3 out of 5. There are worse things you can do with your time, but don’t rush to see this one unless you want to see that amazing church scene.

Rating: R (Violence|Some Gore|Sexuality)
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 6, 2026, Wide
Runtime: 2h 9m
Director: Luc Besson
Producer: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Luc Besson
Distributor: Vertical
Production Co: Luc Besson Production, EuropaCorp, TF1 Films Production, SND