- Director : Andre Ovredal
- Actors : Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham
- Dubbed: : French, Spanish
- Subtitles: : Spanish, French
- Studio : Studio Distribution Services
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 2
- Media Format : Subtitled
- Run time : 1 hour and 59 minutes
- Release date : October 17, 2023
Dracula was one of the first big horror
film successes to come out of Hollywood, preceding even the use of horror as a
genre term. Released on Valentine’s Day, Dracula was originally sold as
a gothic romance film, though it has since become an iconic staple in the horror
genre. This year alone has seen both the release of Renfield and The
Last Voyage of the Demeter in attempts to find a new angle to view the story.
While Renfield focused on Dracula’s abused assistant, The Last Voyage
of the Demeter is entirely about the portion of the story the original 1931
film skipped over. While this does mean the ending is somewhat predictable,
there are still some well-executed sequences of suspense likely to satisfy
horror fans.
Based on a
single chapter from Bram Stoker’s novel, The Last Voyage of the Demeter
follows the ship which unknowingly transported Dracula from a port in Bulgaria
to London. The voyage is led by Captain Elliot (Liam Cunningham), though we
join the ship through the perspective of a doctor named Clemens (Corey Hawkins)
who is desperate for the work. Although Clemens is given the opportunity to
prove himself as a sailor, the cargo they are transporting threatens the safety
of everyone aboard the Demeter. When a woman named Anna (Aisling Franciosi) is
found buried in dirt within the ship’s cargo, she is revealed as the slave of the
vampire Dracula (Javier Botet), who is also amongst the shipment.
Many have noted
the similarities in the story structure of The Last Voyage of the Demeter
and Alien, though the time periods and settings are vastly different.
The plotting of a monstrous threat in an isolated location is hardly a new trope
for the horror genre, and this leads to some truly terrifying moments. At the
same time, there is an inevitability to much of the narrative, given the well-known
story that this one leads to. Even those who have never read the source
material and have no familiarity with this portion of the narrative are bound
to know where this is heading.
Although The
Last Voyage of the Demeter has an inevitable resolution, the execution of the
vampire attack sequences still contains an element of terror missing from the
sub-genre for decades. Perhaps because the Twilight franchise de-fanged the
myth of the vampire, I wasn’t expecting the threat of the creature to be as
terrifying as director André Øvredal was able to make them. The way the film is
shot is also beautiful, recalling the large-scale spectacle the genre has been
capable of in the past. In short, the story may not be groundbreaking, but the
old-school style of filmmaking is commendable and elevates what could have been
a completely forgettable film in less competent hands.
The Collector’s
Edition Blu-ray release of The Last Voyage of the Demeter contains three
ways to view the film, including the high-definition disc that highlights the
spectacular technical aspects of the filmmaking. There is also a DVD copy and a
code for the digital copy. The special features included on the disc are
highlighted by a director’s commentary track, which also includes producer
Bradley J. Fischer. There is also a making-of featurette, another about the reimagination
of the iconic character of Dracula. There is also additional footage, including
deleted scenes and an alternative opening sequence.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 6/10
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