This past Christmas, movie goers were met with an interesting option at the box office. Bob Dylan's biopic starring Timothée Chalamet entitled 'A Complete Unknown' came out in theaters on Christmas day.
Another movie that dropped on one of the merriest days of the year was the gothic horror film 'Nosferatu.'
Nothing says holly jolly like a terrifying vampire, right?
Well, once the holidays were over I finally decided to go check out this movie. It's been a film I've been excited to see for a few months now...and it lived up to the hype.
So, here is my honest review of one of the strangest movies to come out in 2024, 'Nosferatu.'
WARNING: This article will contain light spoilers for the movie 'Nosferatu.'
Director Robert Eggers did not come to play when he began casting for this vampire movie. While Lily-Rose Depp wasn't the director's first choice for the role, she ended up proving that she deserved to be a part of this project.
Depp might be a "nepo baby" but she clearly put in the work to pull off this role.
The 25-year-old actress plays Ellen Hutter, a woman whose dreams are haunted by the menacing Count Orlock.
Her physicality and movements were utterly terrifying. Not only does she have to act as if she's having some gruesome seizures, but her entire essence transforms when she is under these spells.
Bill Skarsgard was the PERFECT choice to play Count Orlock. I first came across Skarsgard when he played Pennywise the Clown in the 'IT' movies a few years back.
He completely transforms and disappears into this role.
One of my favorite aspects about his version of the Count, is his voice. The 34-year-old puts on a European accent that seems odd at first, but totally fits the character.
When we first meet the vampire, he is breathing loudly, almost gasping with every word he speaks. By the end, as he gains more power and causes more evil, his voice gets stronger and that ragged breathing lessens.
Absolutely brilliant!
There was so much thought that went into every single shot in the film. The cinematography of this gothic horror movie captivated me. Every single shot was perfectly balanced or symmetrical.
There are three particular moments in 'Nosferatu' that I think perfectly demonstrate the painstaking effort and planning that the director and cinematographer went to in order to pull this project off.
This sequence isn't a spoiler, since you can see quick glimpses of it in the trailers. In the very first scene of the movie, Ellen is experiencing some sort of dream whilst she is is sleepwalking.
The young woman emerges from the shadows pleadingly praying for her "guardian angel" to bring her comfort. Half of her tear ridden face is illuminated by the pale moonlight.
As the scene progresses, Depp's character moves towards a shadowy figure at the open window of her bedroom. When the wind brushes the curtains aside, the only thing you see is the balcony and night sky.
When the curtains return to their original spot, that shadowy figure reemerges. Showing that while there is nothing physically in that room, but something otherworldly taking place.
After a very strange journey to the Count's estate, Thomas arrives exhausted. He is met in the woods by a mysterious horse drawn carriage. The carriage doors open on its own to the confused man.
There is a beautiful shot of the carriage making its way to the castle at night. You can see the entirety of the looming castle grounds on the screen as the horses take Thomas closer and closer towards this mysterious man.
I won't spoil the end of the movie. All I will say is that one of the very last shots might be absolutely gruesome, but it still is somehow beautiful. There's a moment where lilacs appear on the screen right before the movie goes to black.
If you paused it at that exact moment, it looks like some sort of gothic, Victorian painting.
Once you go see the movie, let me know if you catch this shot.
With the popularity of big budget super hero movies that rely heavily on special effects and CGI, the practicality of Robert Egger's latest work is refreshing
There are very few moments that are clearly CGI.
However, there sure were moments where the actors probably wished that they could've used special effects instead.
Thousands of real rats were used during the filming of 'Nosferatu.' One of the actresses even described a scene where she was covered in rats. Apparently, they were defecating all over her whilst they were shooting the scene.
I enjoyed the movie overall and highly recommend going to go see it.
However, there are just a few aspects of the movie I did not care for.
Why are movies soooo long these days?
The runtime for 'Nosferatu' is two hours and twelve minutes, just about two and a half hours with the movie theater previews.
Some movies can pull off a long runtime and make you feel like time is flying by. This vampire flick does not do that at all.
I can vividly remember some moments dragging on just a bit too long. This is especially the case during the first act, when Thomas is journeying to the castle.
I'm not going to spoil the ending of the movie TOO MUCH because I think it's best that you watch it and experience it for yourself.
While beautifully shot, the ending undid all of the progress that Ellen's character made over the course of this film. I understand WHY it played out like this I personally believe there were other ways to reach the ultimate goal of 'Nosferatu.'
The movie is rated R for a reason. It is gory, contains some startling sexual content, and depicts mature themes.
However, the performances from the entire cast and the direction by Robert Eggers made this a great film to start my 2025 with.
What did you think of 'Nosferatu?' Let us know by messaging us on the station app.
I also reviewed 'Wicked' at the end of last year. You can check that out here!
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