Nosferatu review: A terrifyingly perfect adaptation

Horror classic Nosferatu returns to cinemas around the world with a new adaptation. Director’s first film FW Murnau and based on the novel Dracula from Bram StokerIt premiered in 1922 and instantly became a classic of German expressionism. Even today, over 100 years later, it is considered one of the best horror films of all time. In 1979, he released his first remake, and now an ambitious one. Robert Eggers (Witch, Lighthouse, Man of the North) dares to give a second interpretation of the myth. For this he has a luxurious cast led by Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin And Bill Skarsgard like a menacing vampire.

Story Nosferatu The action takes place in Germany in 1828. Thomas Hunter (Holt), a man who lives in the city of Wisborg and works as a real estate agent. His wife Ellen (Depp) suffered from severe bouts of sleepwalking since childhood, which she has managed to mitigate since they met. Once upon a time a leader Thomas sends him to the Carpathians in Transylvania to complete the sale of an estate with a mysterious Count Orlok. It is then that the main characters will begin an irreparable path of survival against the greatest forces of evil in existence.

sublimation style

Three previous films Robert Eggers They made it clear that the director is not afraid to use a bombastic style deeply rooted in folklore traditions. At 41, the New Yorker reaches the peak of his career. Nosferatu. The film is a gigantic production in which he reconstructs the gloomy Germany of the 19th century on screen with great accuracy and good taste.

Decorations, locations, costumes and other elements that make up Nosferatu They are incredibly well made. Supported by good special effects, practical or digital when necessary, the film creates a unique and exciting sense of authenticity. Thus, the director manages to captivate with the fabulous and intriguing atmosphere in which his gothic story unfolds.

all in Nosferatu This is done on a grand scale. The director has made sure to place his works on the best board to present the viewer with a stunning and mesmerizing visual challenge in terms of story and aesthetics. The direction and pacing are achieved very well, and despite the film’s astonishing density and running forty long minutes longer than the original, it hardly ever becomes the least bit ponderous.

Honor the myth

Eggers He perfectly understands which moments to give more dramatic weight, where to speed up, and when to take his time to emphasize certain aspects of vampire history and mythology. The director shows that he knows how to treat such a legendary fable with the respect it deserves, without repeating it frame by frame or straying from what makes it so special. His Nosferatu It’s the perfect expression of what a remake should be. A modernization of the work that honors his legacy with a new approach, in this case from the perspective Ellen.

Nosferatu This is horror, apathy and hopelessness. But it is also desire and liberation. This is mystery, sadness, occultism and melancholy at the same time as a terrible temptation. The powerful lyricism of the narrative is intoxicating with the elegant beauty of a film that could veer into the mundane and archetypal, but gracefully avoids any hint of “normality.” Eggers completes a colossal and terrible work that amazes and penetrates into the very depths of the audience.

Like his predecessor, he plays with shadows and the mysticism of landscapes. But he is not carried away by empty repetition, but gives his version its own packaging. Aside from the approach to the story itself, a perfect example is the sinister redesign of the vampire so tied to the novel. Interest Eggers Due to the mythological aspect, it becomes tangible and adds whole numbers to an already fabulous work. Fairy-tale scenes intrude into the narrative and, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula from Francis Ford Coppolakeep the viewer riveted to witness a story that is equal parts horrifying and gripping. This Nosferatu In short, this is a memorable adaptation that stands as the best in the history of vampire cinema. And, of course, this is one of the brightest events of all 2024.

Catharsis of Lily-Rose Depp

Every cast member Nosfirtu They devote themselves body and soul to a gigantic project Eggers. Holt He once again demonstrates what a huge actor he is by carrying the entire first part of the film on his shoulders, where we are introduced to the vampire and his shadowy world. He is joined, always in the shadows and completely invisible, by an unrecognizable Skarsgård it matches the gloomy Count Orlok. For its part, theatrical Defoe This forces the ensemble to grow even more in the final act.

But if there’s someone who shines Nosfearu is Lily-Rose Depp. The young actress took up this challenge both before and after her career. After several more or less commendable performances, she finally takes the big leap as a top-tier film leading lady. And he does it with an absolutely heartbreaking and obsessive performance. The importance of his character is much greater than in previous versions, since finally the perspective of the entire tragedy is perceived through his eyes.

Thanks to her, Nosferatu It takes on many layers in aspects such as female liberation and carnal desire, thanks to an approach that has always been there, but which they never dared to present so explicitly. This is the final twist of this film, and it was only possible with a leading man up to the task. Fortunately, Depp He graduates with honors, demonstrating intuitive, expressive, and superb playing.

Robert Eggers Not only does he emerge unscathed from the daunting task of remaking a timeless classic, but he also emerges victorious with a film that will go down in horror cinema history. Nosferatu It’s a revision of the myth that further enhances the original story, but grows on its own with its female perspective, greater depth to the vampire legend, and an unattractive aesthetic. A colossal, bold and dazzling film.

Nosferatu It opens in cinemas in Spain on December 25th.