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Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs  Dracula Untold (2014)
The origin story of how a Transylvanian ruler, Vlad III, became known as Vlad the Impaler and finally Dracula.
I've read Bram Stoker's novel of Dracula countless times over the years. I was quite infatuated by it as a kid and constantly read and reread an illustrated book from M&S that i was given one Christmas Day along with a similar publication of Frankenstein. I saved this film to watch Christmas week as i really wanted to like it and felt sure i would.
Alas Dracula Untold is a CGI mess. Battle scenes are poorly edited and no excitement or tension is ever apparent. I did like Luke Evans as Vlad / Dracula. He fit the part quite well and had the look of a battle hardened leader of men rather than the smooth, sinister vampire seen in every other Dracula movie. 'Tis such a pity Evans was let down by a poor script and such an over reliance on computer effects that any acting performances soon got lost in the blur of green screen. It's also a film that lacks horror, or indeed danger of any kind. Vampire films should not be this anaemic.
Clearly Dracula Untold was seen as a way of rebooting the Dracula legend to the big screen and an attempt to create an origin story that would give Marvel and DC a run for their money. The final scene suggests any possible sequel would be set in present day London and is actually a delightful prologue and the best part of the film. It might yet happen as the film earned three times it's $70m production budget.
As it stands, Dracula Untold is a film that should get the blood pumping but instead just sucks the life out of you. |
I really liked Dracula Untold, i took it more as a Fantasy, Lord of the Rings type film than any attempt at horror.