Dracula - Die Auferstehung

It's been almost 30 years since the last Besson film I was thrilled with. It was The Fifth Element, a daring, dynamic film by a brilliant madman... it was a long wait, but Besson is back. The cast is great, the performances are mostly Oscar-worthy, and his new in-house actor Caleb Landry Jones is a very good replacement for the unique Jean Reno. And he would be a great Joker in the style of Heath Ledger in the event of a prequel. A film with heart and soul made for the audience with an anti-hero who is hard to love, but can be understood, and can be sympathized with. I never liked Coppola's version of Bram Stocker's Dracula, and I really wanted someone to make a better version, but I really didn't expect that someone would be my favorite director from the great nineties (Nikita, Leon). I only hope that I don't have to wait another 30 years for a film this great. 10/10.

Before giving me a thumbs down. Read at least what I have to say :)

Luc Besson's Dracula is a visually arresting, emotionally charged, and hauntingly original take on the iconic legend. From the very first frame, it's clear that this is not just another vampire film-this is Besson in full command of his craft, blending gothic horror, art-house style, and deeply human storytelling into something truly unforgettable.

The cinematography is stunning-moody shadows, rich textures, and bold color contrasts create a dreamlike atmosphere that pulls you into Dracula's cursed world. The pacing is masterful, slowly building tension while allowing the characters to breathe and evolve. And the music? A hypnotic blend of classical and modern that adds a visceral pulse to every scene.

The performances are outstanding. The lead actor's portrayal of Dracula is both terrifying and tragic, capturing the eternal conflict between monstrous hunger and lost humanity. The supporting cast adds layers of depth, especially the heroine, whose chemistry with Dracula gives the film a beating heart.

What sets this Dracula apart is its ambition. Besson doesn't just retell the story-he reimagines it, fusing romance, philosophy, and horror into a mythic, poetic experience. There are echoes of The Fifth Element in its stylization, but this is darker, more mature, and grounded in emotional truth.

This is a Dracula for the 21st century-mysterious, seductive, and deeply cinematic. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent horror and visionary filmmaking.

Verdict: A modern gothic masterpiece.

Director Luc Besson's take on the legendary vampire myth, Dracula: A Love Tale, is a visually magnificent, if occasionally overwrought, gothic romance that succeeds largely on the strength of its lead performance. The film is, first and foremost, a feast for the eyes. The costume and production design are lavish, transporting the audience with an authenticity and opulence that is breathtakingly gothic. This visual splendor is matched by an intensely committed performance from (Caleb Landry Jones) as the titular Prince Vlad/Dracula. Jones delivers a portrayal of a 400-year-old soul consumed by grief and undying love that is both unsettling and deeply human. His 'old' Dracula is eerie and composed, while the anguish of his younger self is palpable. The film leans heavily into the love tale aspect, providing a compelling, passionate, and tragic core that successfully recaptures the sweeping melodrama of a classic Hammer horror or a Coppola adaptation. The chemistry between Jones and co-star (Zoë Bleu) is electric, providing the emotional fuel for the entire production. While the passion is there, the film often stumbles with its pacing. It rockets through centuries of lore and character development with a speed that sometimes feels jarring. We are given tantalizing glimpses into the lives of key supporting characters, including (Christoph Waltz's) Priest, but they feel underdeveloped, serving more as plot devices than fully fleshed-out individuals. The script, at times, struggles to balance the high romantic drama with the classic horror elements, occasionally defaulting to dialogue that feels a touch too cheesy or theatrical for its own good. It's a film that desperately needed a little more room to breathe in its middle acts to allow the audience to fully settle into its narrative rhythm. Dracula: A Love Tale is an undeniable guilty pleasure for fans of the gothic-romantic vampire genre. It's a gorgeous, over-the-top spectacle carried by a magnetic central performance that grounds the more fantastical elements. It lacks the cohesive polish or thematic depth to be a masterpiece, but its sheer visual flair and raw emotional intensity make it a truly captivating, if imperfect, cinematic experience. Go for the style, stay for Caleb Landry Jones' unforgettable Count!

Luc Besson's Dracula is not a traditional horror film. Instead, it's a dark romantic epic that reimagines the Dracula legend through a poetic and psychological lens. Set in a brooding, visually stunning atmosphere, the film explores eternal longing, forbidden love, and the isolation of immortality.

Rather than focusing on gore or action, Besson's take is intimate and character-driven. Dracula is portrayed as a tragic, timeless figure, torn between his monstrous nature and a deep, lingering humanity. The story unfolds with elegance, blending gothic elements, haunting visuals, and emotional depth - all wrapped in Besson's signature cinematic flair.

It will be probably until the end of time - new Dracula features, year after year. This time (and I cannot really say I remember a lot others) it is focusing of Vlad's romantic character. He is not the Vampire born out of thin air - he has a beef with God almighty and he would rather die, then live countless lives without his beloved wife.

This is the base to the story and yes...Vlad carries new weapon: perfume. This one makes his surroundings to go wild and deliver him whatever he wants from them. His main goal is to retrieve his wife, and he doesn't perceive as a hedonistic person but as a man with great suffer.

The other characters are decorative and the most conspicuous from all other characters, that surrounds him is off course the Priest that we all missed lately on both types of screens: Christoph Waltz. This movie is pretty simple and doesn't try to re-invent the myth about Vampire Vlad but take another and more human direction.

Caleb Landry Jones is always a brilliant casting to main role and he is, off course, does his job fantastically. At the end of all things, it is a great version, which personally I will have difficulty to remember, due to overflowing versions over the years. And yet, it is pretty nice to see that Luc Besson is still got it.