Hauntingly Thrilling — A Review Of Nosferatu (2024)

Nosferatu now counts as one of the best gothic horrors I've watched recently. I applaud the directing and storytelling. Clearly, American director Robert Eggers put a lot of work into shooting this movie and the story is beautifully told. The world building is fantastic; every scene is dark and melancholy, with a macabre atmosphere, just like a gothic horror movie should be.

This film is well paced and darkly intriguing, keeping the audience engaged from beginning to end. There is no dull moment. The tensions are built in the right places and displays of emotion are hauntingly mesmerising. Eggers tells the story of Nosferatu in a way that we truly see each character and no one is left in the shadows, not even Herr Knock who paved the way for Orlok's return to Wisburg.

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Beyond the storytelling, the cinematography is stunning and impeccably done. Every scene is captured from angles that immerse the audience in a visceral and unfiltered view. There is no sanitising or polishing this one—the visuals and acting are raw. From scenes of saliva drooling to animals being torn apart with bare teeth, blood flowing from ravaged human flesh and so on, no detail is spared. This film is not for the faint of heart. The gory scenes are so real that they shock the senses.

I'll give an A plus for the cast's performance, especially Lily-Rose Depp. She embodies her character so well that it's captivating. Her vulnerability, fear and confusion look real and so is her misplaced passion for the vampire. Her chemistry with Nicholas Hoult is convincing. I liked the two of them together. Hoult’s acting is great, making me feel sorry for all the torture and suffering he goes through. I wonder why he always plays the victim in most of his films.

Let's talk about the horrific Nosferatu! It was not until I read this online, I didn't know that Count Orlok was played by Bill Skarsgård. Everything about this character and his appearance is so grotesque that I couldn't make out his face. Kudos to the makeup team for this. Still, the acting is good. His raspy voice, harsh breathing and subtle growls made my skin crawl.

This is the first film of Eggers that I've seen and I'll definitely look for others to watch as well. Comparing The Last Voyage Of The Demeter and Nosferatu, they are both a retelling of the vampire legend based on Bram Stoker's novel. The former focuses on a chapter in the book while the latter goes on to expand on this chapter, fleshing it out with depth such that we understand the reason for the vampire's voyage and the unruly passion that drove him.

Overall, Nosferatu is a film worth watching, if you enjoy gothic horrors. I'll say it deserves all the awards it has received since its release. I'd rate it 4 stars out of 5.

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