zendoss
Joined Apr 2016
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"Dracula: The Last Voyage of the Demeter" (2023) is a chilling masterpiece that sets a new standard for your run of the mill monster or creature horror films. If you love horror, or creature features - or anything like classics such as Alien, Predator or The Thing, you should love this. No spoilers, but I hope this review does it justice, so strap in!
From the moment the eerie voyage begins, the movie delivers an unparalleled sense of unease that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The carefully crafted tension and suspense are nothing short of remarkable, making it a truly terrifying experience. Øvredal directs the you know what out of this film. Every aspect; cinematography, music, performances, dialogue, pacing, effects but practical and digital, set design and overall quality are close to or bang on A class quality.
What sets this film apart is its refreshing take on the Dracula legend. By focusing on the harrowing journey aboard the Demeter, the filmmakers breathe new life into a well-known tale. Taking a snippet of a larger story (think The Clone Wars or Rogue One in Star Wars terms), this unique perspective adds depth and intrigue, leaving the audience captivated and intrigued as the horror unfolds.
Without being copy cat or derivative, this film seemingly takes heavy inspiration from aspects of films such as Alien, The Thing, Predator and even Jurassic Park 3 (no spoilers, but that scene in the mist...think the Pterandon bird cage scene from JP 3).
The atmosphere is undeniably one of the film's strongest assets, and probably my favourite. The film is brutal, gnarly and gothic - yet human. You care for the characters - and they all have their moment, but just as in those mentioned movies, they get picked off one by one aus the crew dwindles. The hauntingly atmospheric visuals and haunting score work in tandem to create an immersive and unsettling environment. Every scene drips with a palpable sense of dread, immersing viewers in a world where danger lurks at every corner of the ship. The way they set up the film, the first act - the superstitions, the dead live stock, the shadows, the folk lore - it's perfect.
The acting in The Last Voyage of the Demeter is nothing short of brilliant. Many would appear as new faces or unknowns, but they all seek their part. Corey Hawkins was terrific as the lead, and Mr Clemens is one of my favourite horror leads in a long time. The great Liam Cunningham is excellent as usual, and David Dastmalchian - who is known for his ratty and squirming like characters (think Dark Knight, Dune, Prisoners, Blade Runner, or Suicide Squad) - is so different here, and is excellent as the eternal optimist and disbelieving First Mate. Aisling Franciosi and Woody Norman also bring a nice humanity and innocence. As I said, everyone gets their moment.
The cast's performances are authentic and convincing, allowing you to connect emotionally with the characters and feel their fear. Their reactions to the escalating horrors on board are portrayed so realistically that it's impossible not to be drawn into their terror.
Cinematography plays a pivotal role in enhancing the film's impact. The expertly composed shots and clever camera work effectively amplify the tension and contribute to the overall sense of unease. The use of lighting and shadows adds depth and complexity to the scenes, creating a visual feast that's as haunting as it is beautiful. Check your room corners before you go to bed!
Finally, but most importantly: *practical effects* take center stage in bringing the horror to life. The meticulous attention to detail in crafting the gruesome and spine-chilling moments is truly commendable. The visceral and realistic portrayal of Dracula's presence onboard is a testament to the filmmakers' dedication to creating an authentic and terrifying experience. This film is brutal and grotseque at times - and the titular character has a horrifying presence.
No spoilers, but the ending. Wow. On one hand I want a bunch more movies, a whole franchise! On the other, it's kinda perfect as is. The ending allows for more stories or a continued one - yet also makes for a great ending full stop. I am worried this film won't make too much box office wise (hopefully I am wrong), and haven't seen any reviews for a consensus, but please Universal give us a sequel or if not, something similar to this!
This is undoubtedly one of the best horror films of 2023. Its expertly constructed scares, refreshing narrative approach, and impeccable atmosphere combine with exceptional acting, cinematography, and practical effects to create a cinematic masterpiece that will haunt your nightmares for years to come. This is a must-watch for horror enthusiasts and creature feature lovers!
In all my years of using IMDb, I've hardly written any reviews, but I wanted to do this justice and support this film. This is the Predator or Alien film I have wanted for years! I'll take more horror from Øvredal, more creature features, and more Universal classic monsters!
9.5/10.
From the moment the eerie voyage begins, the movie delivers an unparalleled sense of unease that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The carefully crafted tension and suspense are nothing short of remarkable, making it a truly terrifying experience. Øvredal directs the you know what out of this film. Every aspect; cinematography, music, performances, dialogue, pacing, effects but practical and digital, set design and overall quality are close to or bang on A class quality.
What sets this film apart is its refreshing take on the Dracula legend. By focusing on the harrowing journey aboard the Demeter, the filmmakers breathe new life into a well-known tale. Taking a snippet of a larger story (think The Clone Wars or Rogue One in Star Wars terms), this unique perspective adds depth and intrigue, leaving the audience captivated and intrigued as the horror unfolds.
Without being copy cat or derivative, this film seemingly takes heavy inspiration from aspects of films such as Alien, The Thing, Predator and even Jurassic Park 3 (no spoilers, but that scene in the mist...think the Pterandon bird cage scene from JP 3).
The atmosphere is undeniably one of the film's strongest assets, and probably my favourite. The film is brutal, gnarly and gothic - yet human. You care for the characters - and they all have their moment, but just as in those mentioned movies, they get picked off one by one aus the crew dwindles. The hauntingly atmospheric visuals and haunting score work in tandem to create an immersive and unsettling environment. Every scene drips with a palpable sense of dread, immersing viewers in a world where danger lurks at every corner of the ship. The way they set up the film, the first act - the superstitions, the dead live stock, the shadows, the folk lore - it's perfect.
The acting in The Last Voyage of the Demeter is nothing short of brilliant. Many would appear as new faces or unknowns, but they all seek their part. Corey Hawkins was terrific as the lead, and Mr Clemens is one of my favourite horror leads in a long time. The great Liam Cunningham is excellent as usual, and David Dastmalchian - who is known for his ratty and squirming like characters (think Dark Knight, Dune, Prisoners, Blade Runner, or Suicide Squad) - is so different here, and is excellent as the eternal optimist and disbelieving First Mate. Aisling Franciosi and Woody Norman also bring a nice humanity and innocence. As I said, everyone gets their moment.
The cast's performances are authentic and convincing, allowing you to connect emotionally with the characters and feel their fear. Their reactions to the escalating horrors on board are portrayed so realistically that it's impossible not to be drawn into their terror.
Cinematography plays a pivotal role in enhancing the film's impact. The expertly composed shots and clever camera work effectively amplify the tension and contribute to the overall sense of unease. The use of lighting and shadows adds depth and complexity to the scenes, creating a visual feast that's as haunting as it is beautiful. Check your room corners before you go to bed!
Finally, but most importantly: *practical effects* take center stage in bringing the horror to life. The meticulous attention to detail in crafting the gruesome and spine-chilling moments is truly commendable. The visceral and realistic portrayal of Dracula's presence onboard is a testament to the filmmakers' dedication to creating an authentic and terrifying experience. This film is brutal and grotseque at times - and the titular character has a horrifying presence.
No spoilers, but the ending. Wow. On one hand I want a bunch more movies, a whole franchise! On the other, it's kinda perfect as is. The ending allows for more stories or a continued one - yet also makes for a great ending full stop. I am worried this film won't make too much box office wise (hopefully I am wrong), and haven't seen any reviews for a consensus, but please Universal give us a sequel or if not, something similar to this!
This is undoubtedly one of the best horror films of 2023. Its expertly constructed scares, refreshing narrative approach, and impeccable atmosphere combine with exceptional acting, cinematography, and practical effects to create a cinematic masterpiece that will haunt your nightmares for years to come. This is a must-watch for horror enthusiasts and creature feature lovers!
In all my years of using IMDb, I've hardly written any reviews, but I wanted to do this justice and support this film. This is the Predator or Alien film I have wanted for years! I'll take more horror from Øvredal, more creature features, and more Universal classic monsters!
9.5/10.
I am just going to start this review off by stating this film is getting beyond too much hate. In fact a huge amount of the critiques are unfounded, inaccurate or hyprocritical. Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it great? Maybe not. Is it bad or terrible, or as offensive as these 1/10 reviews would have you believe? No. It's good. Sure it has flaws, it definitely ain't perfect.
However from a die hard super fan, who's seen all the films countless times, and the original Jurassic Park being my all time favourite, what I can say is that it was not anywhere close to what the critics or reviews would have you believe.
Before I get into the rest, let me state this. The Rise of Skywalker has lines like "They fly now!" and somehow Palpatine has returned! IMDb rating? 6.5/10. Furious 7 has Dwayne Johnson rip a minigun off a drone and use it manually after driving a ambulance off a bridge to crash it. Paul Walker also drives a car through three sky scrapers. IMDB rating? 7.3/10. Black Panther, Shang Chi and numerous other MCU films have legit PS2 level CGI...did anyone see the opening sequence to Doctor Strange 2? Yep, 7.3/10, 7.4/10 & 7.3/10 respectively for those films.
This film is currently sitting at 6/10 with only 10k votes, and IMDb tends to see things only drop. So my point is, does this film deserve all this hate, especially when you compare it to other films rated here? Well, no, it quite frankly is just unfair how many vague, brainless and cynical 1/10, 2/10 and 3/10 reviews are here. You don't have to like the film, but review fairly. This film, is at worst, mediocre. But I believe it's far more than that, both as a JP fan but also just as a crafted film.
No Way Home, let's use that for comparison. Decent acting? Check. A long run time, fairly messy, yet fun script and story? Check. Some humor? Check. References and callbacks? Check. Return of some iconic characters, fan service and world building? Check. A decent score that probably uses a lot of old tracks from prior films? Check. Good cinematography? Check. Good CGI and practical effects?
No, I'd say NWH is lacking there. And you know what? Dominion is near identical in every single category! Yet...NWH has 8.3/10 and Dominion has 6/10. You see the pattern here? This film is copping ridiculous amounts of hate. You don't have to be an award winning classic, an indie film or a Comic Book movie to be good.
Jurassic World Dominion is completely faithful and respectful to the legacy of all the films, the franchise itself and Michael Critchon's work.
It has beautiful cinematography, amazing CGI and awesome use of practical effects. It builds on the world and lore, and Giacchion's score is awesome as always. Grant feels like Grant. Ellie feels like Ellie. Malcolm feels like Malcolm. Owen and Claire are better than they've been, and Maisie (clone girl) is handled really well. The discourse around human cloning and the locust are straight out of Michael Critchon's work - Timeline, Micro, Westworld, Jurassic Park. Man playing god, manipulating nature and corporate greed.
Dominion puts the dinosaurs back a seat and focuses on the humans - yet people complain? Everyone praises the minimal use of the dinosaurs in the original, and states it's about man's misuse of technology and character arcs, whether it be Alan or Hammond. This film does the same. Heck they even got Dogdson back, just like the novels!
Does this film feature some wonky dialogue, some cheesy moments and plot conveniance? Sure. But it's not pure garbage.
It's staggering how many people use the word "dumb". Yet...where is this film dumb? Like where, seriously? I LOVE the other films, but they for sure have dumb moments or moments where logic gone. But this film surprisingly doesn't! Every decision, whether it be by Owen, or Claire or Grant or whoever, is the logical choice. There's not even any suspend your belief stunts or plot armor. The characters just genuinely navigate the locations well. No dumb dino prices, no militarised hybrids, no stupid decisions leading to chaos.
Heck people said they want less trained raptors and Blue, less "Fast & Furious over the top action", less Rexy saving the day, and more human content/character work.
Well guess what? They gave us that. It's funny we have people saying too much dinosaurs then people saying not enough dinosaurs.
What happened to being able to enjoy a summer block buster? This film is fun, enjoyable, nostalgic and true to it's roots. Half the negative reviews here don't even state any examples or evidence, they're just the typical "Hollywood bad" or "sequel bad". Don't get me wrong, I've hated plenty of films, but this film surely isn't any bit close to the current rating.
My only real major gripes is despite the long run time and a huge cast, there weren't enough casualties (even for side characters) and that the prologue should've been kept to open the film.
So in conclusion, please rate fairly, please don't be discouraged by reviews, and please form your own opinion. Love it? Great! Meh? Great! Hate it? Great! But don't just jump on the band wagon and don't straight up lie or pretend there's issues without evidence.
My final score is, as a fan 9/10, as a film 7.5/10.
However from a die hard super fan, who's seen all the films countless times, and the original Jurassic Park being my all time favourite, what I can say is that it was not anywhere close to what the critics or reviews would have you believe.
Before I get into the rest, let me state this. The Rise of Skywalker has lines like "They fly now!" and somehow Palpatine has returned! IMDb rating? 6.5/10. Furious 7 has Dwayne Johnson rip a minigun off a drone and use it manually after driving a ambulance off a bridge to crash it. Paul Walker also drives a car through three sky scrapers. IMDB rating? 7.3/10. Black Panther, Shang Chi and numerous other MCU films have legit PS2 level CGI...did anyone see the opening sequence to Doctor Strange 2? Yep, 7.3/10, 7.4/10 & 7.3/10 respectively for those films.
This film is currently sitting at 6/10 with only 10k votes, and IMDb tends to see things only drop. So my point is, does this film deserve all this hate, especially when you compare it to other films rated here? Well, no, it quite frankly is just unfair how many vague, brainless and cynical 1/10, 2/10 and 3/10 reviews are here. You don't have to like the film, but review fairly. This film, is at worst, mediocre. But I believe it's far more than that, both as a JP fan but also just as a crafted film.
No Way Home, let's use that for comparison. Decent acting? Check. A long run time, fairly messy, yet fun script and story? Check. Some humor? Check. References and callbacks? Check. Return of some iconic characters, fan service and world building? Check. A decent score that probably uses a lot of old tracks from prior films? Check. Good cinematography? Check. Good CGI and practical effects?
No, I'd say NWH is lacking there. And you know what? Dominion is near identical in every single category! Yet...NWH has 8.3/10 and Dominion has 6/10. You see the pattern here? This film is copping ridiculous amounts of hate. You don't have to be an award winning classic, an indie film or a Comic Book movie to be good.
Jurassic World Dominion is completely faithful and respectful to the legacy of all the films, the franchise itself and Michael Critchon's work.
It has beautiful cinematography, amazing CGI and awesome use of practical effects. It builds on the world and lore, and Giacchion's score is awesome as always. Grant feels like Grant. Ellie feels like Ellie. Malcolm feels like Malcolm. Owen and Claire are better than they've been, and Maisie (clone girl) is handled really well. The discourse around human cloning and the locust are straight out of Michael Critchon's work - Timeline, Micro, Westworld, Jurassic Park. Man playing god, manipulating nature and corporate greed.
Dominion puts the dinosaurs back a seat and focuses on the humans - yet people complain? Everyone praises the minimal use of the dinosaurs in the original, and states it's about man's misuse of technology and character arcs, whether it be Alan or Hammond. This film does the same. Heck they even got Dogdson back, just like the novels!
Does this film feature some wonky dialogue, some cheesy moments and plot conveniance? Sure. But it's not pure garbage.
It's staggering how many people use the word "dumb". Yet...where is this film dumb? Like where, seriously? I LOVE the other films, but they for sure have dumb moments or moments where logic gone. But this film surprisingly doesn't! Every decision, whether it be by Owen, or Claire or Grant or whoever, is the logical choice. There's not even any suspend your belief stunts or plot armor. The characters just genuinely navigate the locations well. No dumb dino prices, no militarised hybrids, no stupid decisions leading to chaos.
Heck people said they want less trained raptors and Blue, less "Fast & Furious over the top action", less Rexy saving the day, and more human content/character work.
Well guess what? They gave us that. It's funny we have people saying too much dinosaurs then people saying not enough dinosaurs.
What happened to being able to enjoy a summer block buster? This film is fun, enjoyable, nostalgic and true to it's roots. Half the negative reviews here don't even state any examples or evidence, they're just the typical "Hollywood bad" or "sequel bad". Don't get me wrong, I've hated plenty of films, but this film surely isn't any bit close to the current rating.
My only real major gripes is despite the long run time and a huge cast, there weren't enough casualties (even for side characters) and that the prologue should've been kept to open the film.
So in conclusion, please rate fairly, please don't be discouraged by reviews, and please form your own opinion. Love it? Great! Meh? Great! Hate it? Great! But don't just jump on the band wagon and don't straight up lie or pretend there's issues without evidence.
My final score is, as a fan 9/10, as a film 7.5/10.
