The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Rating – 3/4
*SPOILERS*
Nosferatu (1922)
Dracula (1931)
Monster Squad
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Hotel Transylvania
There have been so many adaptations of Bram Stoker’s classic novel that I’d write my own trying to list them. I confess that I haven’t seen them all, but I know there’s always a bloodthirsty Transylvanian count wearing a cape that sucks people’s blood. Vampires, am I right? And it always feels the same. So how about a movie that decides to change that formula? No accent, no capes, no bats, but plenty of scares.
Seeking the promise of adventure and a decent wage, Clemens (Corey Hawkins), a young doctor joins the crew of the Demeter, a ship bound for England from Romania and are ordered to transport some mysterious crates containing an unknown symbol that frighten the locals. But when a mysterious stowaway named Anna (Aisling Franciosi) is discovered on the ship and mysterious deaths start occurring, the crew realizes that the crates contain a monster known as Dracula.
And then, it’s a race to stop the beast before anyone else ends up as potential dinner. Or breakfast, if you’re a vampire.
I have not seen a period piece horror movie in a while, so the setting intrigued me. Without the luxuries of modern technology, how can they beat a vampire? It’s not like a jewelry store that sells silver is available on the open sea. And don’t forget the religious and superstitious attitudes of the time. Is it divine punishment, or an actual vampire? Whatever it is, may God have mercy!
The major component that movie has going for it is the cinematography and the lighting. It’s a horror movie so it has to be dark and full of shadows, right? Exactly, and it gives quite the atmosphere. It’s tense, claustrophobic, you develop sea legs with all of the Dutch angles, and you never know what’s around the corner.
Second, is the premise. As I mentioned before, I have not seen a period piece horror film in a while so it was a refreshing change of scenery. But I also appreciate what the filmmakers did with a different twist on the Dracula formula. There are no charming counts or castles; just one bloodthirsty monster that needs blood. This Dracula is sadistic and animalistic, toying with his victims, taunting them, and sometimes keeping them alive just to have a snack for later. Charm can be great, but too much can diminish the threat. But here, there is a real threat and real stakes. If Dracula makes it to London, what could happen? And how do you stop him with a limited crew and supplies? It definitely keeps you engaged.
But despite the interesting premise and tension, the film does become predictable at times, and characters can feel underused. Anna is a clear reference to the brides of Dracula and I wish she had a bigger role and used to explore the Dracula mythos. Some flashbacks or exposition would’ve been nice. And the crew of the Demeter feel like they lack the chemistry to completely care. They’re not unlikeable, but you know they’ll get killed off. The setting might be new, but some of the horror formulas are familiar.
But I can forgive the flaws because solid direction and tight cinematography make The Last Voyage of the Demeter a worthy horror film. Forget scurvy and malnutrition, now you have a vampire running loose. And where can you run on a ship? It’s a new take on an old tale and I can appreciate what they did. It might not be the strongest or scariest adaptation, but it’s a refreshing take that you can sink your teeth into.
There’s water, water, everywhere, and plenty of blood to drink…if you’re Dracula.
