Directed by André Øvredal and based on a single chapter, the Captain’s Log, from Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter follows the story of the crew of the Russian schooner Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo from Transylvania to London. Strange and horrifying events befall the crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship: a legendary vampire known as Dracula.
This marks the second unique adaptation of Dracula this year after the release of Renfield back in April but this time it’s an adaptation that is directly based on one of the darkest chapters in Bram Stoker’s novel. It’s a very interesting idea to make an entire horror film based on one chapter of Dracula, which is not only a testament to the brilliance of the original novel but also allows the opportunity to tell a new kind of vampire story in a very different setting that isn’t some haunted house, haunted castle or even a well-known city. Even the very thought of being trapped out at sea with a hungry and beastly vampire aboard with no escape is spine-chilling to think about and was the very reason this film caught my interest when I first saw the trailer. Plus it’s been way too long since we had a legitimately scary vampire film that wasn’t a horror comedy or some melodramatic teen romance bullshit, so I was hoping this was going to break the curse and make vampires terrifying figures in horror films again.
Did this film do the job? In my personal opinion, I think it did. It may have taken a decade but I can finally say I found a film that made vampires feel scary again for me. I really enjoyed the hell out of The Last Voyage of the Demeter as it works both as a somewhat refreshing take on the vampire genre and as a traditional yet effective creature horror that hooks you in from beginning to end.
Some of you may know that I have a soft spot for creature features when they are done well. I honestly think this was done very well for what it was able to accomplish, based on one chapter of the Dracula novel as well as utilizing a simple setting to deliver excellent thrills, kills, and even some surprising amounts of emotion too. It does have some things that drag it down a bit and it certainly isn’t a major game changer for the horror genre, but it does deliver a lot of things that will indeed satisfy horror lovers and may potentially surprise general audiences who are curious to see it.
I want to start with the film’s strengths, the first being its premise. In some ways, this film feels a bit like a vampire version of Alien in terms of following the traditional one-by-one death at the hands of the monster, but it manages to be really effective thanks to a very haunting atmosphere in an isolated and claustrophobic setting that really puts you on the edge of your seat at all times.
You also have a crew of characters that you do actually care what happened to them and feel attached to emotionally, especially because of the strong performances given by their respective cast members. Corey Hawkins as Clemens serves as a compelling lead and he gets to have his time to shine numerous times in the film, showcasing a firm resolve as things get terrifying and the crew is plagued by fear of what is picking them all off.
Some great supporting performances by Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, and Woody Norman give the film some emotional moments that were unexpected but very effective even in a horror setting like this. There is also a great supporting performance by David Dastmalchian as Wojchek, who continues to show his incredible range as an actor and is utilized very well in this film rather than be another wasted minor character.
The other performances are also really good though admittedly there were a few characters that I wish could have been fleshed out just a bit more in certain places.
And then we come to the great lord of darkness himself, Dracula. We have seen Dracula portrayed in many different forms over the years in film and television but this may be the most feral and terrifying portrayal of the iconic vampire we have had by far. He is a deadly predator that lurks within the dark bowels of the ship and is a true creature of the night that no one can escape from. He looks absolutely terrifying thanks to awesome practical effects mixed with some great occasional CGI and a phenomenal performance by Javier Botet that brings this beastly Dracula to life in many ways.
His lack of human form, looking more like a monstrous bat than a person, also adds to the terror and haunting presence this thing gives at every moment as it unleashes death upon the doomed crew. This is easily one of the best vampires put on screen in years, both in design and scare factor.
The story pretty much follows exactly what occurs in the novel’s chapter, with additional creative spins added by the filmmakers to make the entire event feel extremely tension-filled and make the audiences feel just as paranoid as the crew. Even though this film follows some traditional horror routes it does manage to commit to some things that I didn’t expect, especially when it comes to who they kill off, making the viewers feel really engaged with what’s going on.
The story is really well done but I will admit there were times when I feel it dragged in terms of pacing, when it focuses on certain moments for longer than it should, and that sometimes breaks the overall tension. This by no means ruined the film for me but I would have preferred it to have a more consistent pace.
The horror elements from the kills to the atmosphere are done extremely well on a technical level, and in terms of visuals and cinematography, this may be the most gorgeous Dracula film I’ve seen in a while. The kills are vicious and cold-blooded, showing that this feral Dracula is killing mostly out of necessity to survive the long voyage to London, feeling no remorse for the people he kills.
Practical gore and effects are used brilliantly but there are also occasional uses of CGI for some really crazy moments in the film, such as when Dracula begins to take to the skies when he develops his wings. The CGI isn’t overused thankfully and for the most part it looks really good, even with this film’s $37 million budget. Now granted there are a few CGI moments that I felt could have been done a lot better or done with practical effects instead, but for the most part it never took anything away from the horror this film delivers.
And with the setting being on the ship the filmmakers use the given environment to their advantage to create a spine-chilling atmosphere, utilizing shadows, the claustrophobic areas of the ship, and even sound to enhance the horror. The use of knocking in this film is very effective for some pretty damn scary moments that definitely had me on edge.
Then there is the score delivered by composer Bear McCreary who elevates this film to operatic levels, adding more to the horror, the tension, and the emotional moments wherever he can. Bear McCreary truly never disappoints when it comes to his music, especially in the realm of horror.
I’m really pleased to have a new vampire film that treats the iconic monster as an actual monster and not some attractive character in a teen romance drama, which I felt we were stuck with for years. It felt so refreshing to see a scary vampire on the big screen again in a very unique setting that is utilized brilliantly to deliver a great horror film that I feel many people would love if they gave it a chance. This may not be my favorite vampire film of all time but this will definitely be one of my favorites based on all the good that it delivers after so many disappointments in the past. If you get the chance to see it then I highly recommend you do so because this film definitely deserves the attention. I’m going to give The Last Voyage of the Demeter an A- = 93.
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