Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Nosferatu (2024) is the newest feature from Robert Eggers, director of historical horror flicks like The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019). This latest adaptation of the gothic horror classic stars Lily-Rose Depp (Ellen), Nicholas Hoult (Thomas), Willem Dafoe (Professor Alvin Everhart Von Franz) and Bill Skarsgård as the nosferatu himself, Count Orlok. The film takes a cold and bleak look into the themes of death, temptation, mental illness and isolation; in particular how the movie’s main monster has forced these ailments onto Ellen and those around her.
I finally got the chance to see this film for myself on the 15th January at my local Vue Cinema. Despite the small audience turnout at the screening I went to (due to the timing being on a random weekday afternoon), Nosferatu generally has been a hit with horror fans globally, raking in glowing reviews from audiences and critics alike. The quietness of the cinema suited me just fine though as it allowed me to get fully invested in the film with little-to-no interruptions.
From the very beginning, during the production logos, you can tell that care was taken to pay homage to the original 1922 film as the style of the logos look like they are straight out of a silent film from that era. And when you first see Ellen on screen, more nods are given to Murnau’s version as the colour saturation is turned right down; beautifully setting the tone of the story that’s about to be told. The scene also has a blue tint to it, indicative of the sorrow that Ellen is yet to experience and the hopelessness she feels in her fight against a currently unknown entity. She prays in vain for a higher power to save her from her struggle and is instead greeted by the very thing that she is running from.
Sorrow is a recurring theme throughout the movie’s run-time, along with death in the form of Count Orlok and all of the destruction he leaves in his wake. Most notably, Orlok has a significant affect on the sanity of both Ellen and Herr Knock and their individual responses to the mental torment that they endure as a result. The film uses this as an opportunity to explore how mental illness was treated in 1830s Germany and how that treatment differed between men and women. Temptation is also explored as Ellen is still very drawn to Orlok and is firmly under his spell, despite him doing everything to ruin her life. We the audience are also confronted with Ellen’s overwhelming sense of isolation as her husband, Thomas, travels to meet the Count in Transylvania, leaving her to feel alone and more vulnerable to the terrible force that calls out to her.
Nosferatu was a wonderful experience and much of my enjoyment came from the stellar performances from all of the cast, particularly from Depp, Hoult and Skarsgård. Depp really surprised me with her range and her physical acting during demanding scenes. When he grew pale and began to sweat bullets, Hoult made me believe that he was genuinely petrified of Skarsgård looming over him. And who wouldn’t be scared after the performance he gave? Bill completely disappeared into the character and gave audiences ample nightmare fuel to last a very long time. The movie provoked me into wanting to explore the films that came before it (Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror and Nosferatu the Vampyre) and pick up a copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, without which Nosferatu would cease to exist.
Ultimately, I highly recommend this film, especially to fans of horror and gothic horror. Eggers has successfully breathed new life into a dead IP and has given moviegoers a cinematic experience that will both delight them and fill them with dread.
Really awesome review, definitely made me want to go and watch it now even when no spoilers were given away and with great actors too! Sounds like an instant favourite! :)