Title – Nosferatu (2024) 

Director – Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse) 

Cast – Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin

Plot – Troubled young woman Ellen (Depp) and her new husband Thomas (Hoult) unwittingly enter into a game of life and death with the mysterious Count Orlock (Skarsgård), threatening not only their lives but the lives of others around them in gothic Europe.  

“Does evil come from within us, or from beyond?”

Review by Eddie on 17/01/2025

Refusing to rest on his laurels or at the same time be beaten down by the rather disappointing financial performance of his biggest swing yet that was his 2022 Viking infused fever dream The Northman, director Robert Eggers has emerged once more to tackle a reimagining of one of horror’s most revered cinematic properties Nosferatu, providing us with one of the genres most atmospheric and memorable offerings of the modern era, while at the same time further establishing his name as one of Hollywood’s most interesting filmmakers. 

First appearing on the scene with his brilliant British offering The Witch in 2015, Eggers has quickly established himself as a unique voice in the industry and while not everyone of his films might hit the same for each viewer there’s little doubting that we are witnessing the career of an all time writer/director who at the age of 41 at the time of writing has a lot of prime years ahead of him should he so desire. 

Pleasantly over performing from a box office standpoint with well over $130 million in takings globally so far off a relatively small $50 million dollar production budget, this bleak and unashamedly odd gothic horror is drenched in ominous dread, stunning artistry and haunting imagery as Eggers takes us on a wild ride through a vampire infused Europe where Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult’s newly married couple Ellen and Thomas Hutter come face to face with Bill Skarsgård’s skin-crawling Count Orlock who appears hellbent on making Ellen his own no matter the cost. 

A well-worn tale thanks to Nosferatu’s core story taking much from the famed and iconic Dracula, there’s certainly nothing revolutionary or ground-breaking about Nosferatu’s narrative and some viewers may find its delivery slightly too off-putting but with a core collection of fantastic performances, stunning production design and visual spectacle (Thomas’s arrival at Orlock’s remote castle is worth the price of admission alone) and Egger’s resolute direction ensure something that is so familiar also feels so new and vibrant. 

Overcoming the disappointment of her short-lived and maligned TV series The Idol and taking a giant leap from bit parts in so-so features, Nosferatu is also notable for a career making performance from Lily-Rose Depp who gives it her all as a character that’s not always entirely likeable or someone you’ll agree with but who is a commanding presence nonetheless thanks to Depp’s commitment. 

Tasked with a range of emotions and character beats Depp proves to be a worthy leading lady and even though she’s overshadowed by a scenery-chewing Willem Dafoe as oddball occult researcher Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz and an awards worthy Skarsgård (making further claims for the best man in the business when you need someone in a horror under the guide of hideous make-up) as the instantly iconic villain that is Count Orlock, there’s no doubting that Eggers has unlocked a talent within Depp that should allow her to match her fathers prime years in Hollywood.

Flawed in parts but undeniably brilliant in so many facets, Nosferatu is one of the most impressive horror films to come out of Hollywood in some time and gives us all further reason to regard Eggers as one of the most unique and boundary pushing filmmakers working right now. 

Final Say – 

Fears of what could happen to a revered piece of horror history are nothing but fleeting memories now this new version of Nosferatu has made its way into the public domain. A stunning achievement in artistry and craftsmanship and an engaging and unnerving tale of love and the human condition in its own right, Robert Egger’s latest trip to the darkside is a blast from start to finish. 

4 pigeons out of 5