One of the most hyped horror films of 2024 was Robert Eggers and his take on the classic film Nosferatu. The year has been excellent for the horror genre, with notable box office wins for films like Terrifier 3 and Smile 2. Arriving on Christmas Day, can Nosferatu keep the winning streak alive? So far, so good, but how was the film?

When I heard Eggers was working on a new version of Nosferatu, I was intrigued. I love the original silent film (I own a VHS of it with a Type O Negative soundtrack over the visuals). I am also a fan of Werner Herzog’s interesting take starring Klaus Kinski and Shadow of the Vampire (a fictional account of the filming of the silent Nosferatu starring Willem Dafoe as Count Orlok). Eggers has delivered two of my favorite films in recent memory, The Witch and The Lighthouse, so when the first pictures were released, my anticipation grew. When the first trailer dropped, I couldn’t wait for Christmas Day.

So, after I watched the film, how do I feel now? Did it live up to the hype?

Yes, and no.

Nosferatu is an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. When F.W. Murnau shot the silent film, story points, character names, and locations were altered so that it would not be a direct adaptation of the book. The vampire here is named Count Orlok but follows the same story beats as the vampire who inspired him, Dracula. Essentially, everything the Count does is for love. It isn’t as clear if Orlok is in for love as much as having Lily-Rose Depp as a play toy. Dracula was much more forward in the love story. But, if you know the story of Dracula, you can easily follow Nosferatu and understand what’s happening at any point. There are some added plot points, but overall, it’s a straight-up retelling of Stoker.

Now, the actual film.

Robert Eggers is a master of mood and setting. This is evident in The Witch and The Lighthouse and is impressive in Nosferatu. The German town is dark and moody, with fantastic set and scene details. You can see what Eggers can do with a much bigger budget than what he’s had to film with in the past. The sets are characters, and I found myself lost in each scene’s dark, gloomy beauty.

The cast is terrific, with Bill Skarsgard leading as Count Orlok. Skarsgard is unrecognizable as the undead monster. Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Ralph Ineson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Emma Corrin round out the cast. Willem Dafoe owns every scene he’s in, as he does in all his films. Watching him playing the Van Helsing-like character after his turn in Shadow of the Vampire was fun. Nicholas Hoult had his usually strong performance, and he continues to be an actor I follow. My biggest surprise was Lily-Rose Depp. I really only know of her films from Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers. Don’t judge me…

I did have some issues with story points during the film. Is the setting a German town on a river or sea? It never really says, making the ship Orlok comes to Germany problematic. In Dracula, he sails over in his coffin on the Demeter over the stormy seas. If you look at a map of Transylvania, the only path Orlok had by boat is rivers. If he had taken a long land route and then the sea, arriving would have taken him much longer. The storm the ship encounters is far too big to be over a river, and the size of the port and the water around the port is much larger than a river. I hated thinking about this during the film, but it took me out a little. The other story issue that took me out was, and well, I’ll be frank here, Orlok’s porn stache and the undead member hanging between his legs. I never considered the great vampire lords slept naked in their coffins. The mustache was odd because it was black, and his only hair was a tiny amount of light, wispy hair on his head. Those were the two most jarring things in the film.

The pacing is a typical Eggers film as well. It builds slowly, and the moody atmosphere sucks you in, not letting go until the film’s final act. I sat silently, not even eating my popcorn, as the tale unfolded on the screen. Nosferatu isn’t a film for everyone, but it is worth watching in theaters if you like dark, moody horror films. I recommend it on the big screen or even IMAX for the visuals.

I will close by saying I hope Universal was paying attention. They keep trying to reboot the Universal Monster franchises but keep making terrible action flicks. I think what Robert Eggers crafted in Nosferatu should be considered his job interview for the keys to the monsters. The monsters are made to be dark, moody, and serious. I know I’m dreaming, but Eggers reimagining the monsters with his vision would be something to get excited about. I mean, he’s technically done Dracula already!

Overall, I loved the film and can’t wait to watch it again. Nosferatu gets a full 5 out of 5 Tombstones.

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see out there at the Crossroads! (yeah, my other website (www.brentscrossroads.com), YouTube (@Brents_Crossroads), and TikTok (@brent.abell) project)

Take care and may your 2025 be a great one,

Brent