Reviewer rating: 2,451/5,153
The 12 months 2023 has already bestowed upon us over 20 sequels, remakes, or reboots for large launch. Now comes The Final Voyage of the Demeter, a 2-hour movie primarily based on the seventh chapter of Bram Stroker’s Dracula. Simply once you thought cinema has bled the story of the enduring vampire dry, it rises as soon as extra… and for the second time this 12 months (after Renfield).
Our journey begins at a Romanian port the place we’re launched to Clemens (Corey Hawkins), a younger medical college graduate. He jumps on the alternative to affix the crew of the Demeter to catch a elevate again to England. Aboard the ship we meet the aged Captain Eliot (Liam Cunningham), his 9-year-old grandson Toby (Woody Norman), and the opposite members of the small crew.
Director André Øvredal, who helmed the Scandinavian cult hit Troll Hunter (2010) and extra lately Scary Tales to Inform within the Darkish (2019), retains Demeter a good movie and by no means permits its consideration to be diverted to subplots. Every little thing on our voyage leads straight to Dracula and the destiny of the crew. Whereas the runtime does pressure the threads of the skinny plot, the movie’s focus by no means permits the strain or sense of dread to dissipate.
The Final Voyage of the Demeter unfurls as a slasher, as we watch crewmembers succumb to the legendary monster one after the other. It additionally steeps itself within the ambiance of a gothic haunted home story, with all of that style’s creaks, echoing rappings, and eerie glows of lanterns that sway within the night time. Every of the solid ship robust, melancholic performances, although a lot of the characters lack depth. Cunningham and Aisling Franciosi (who performs Anna) handle to imbue a world-weary complexity into the material of their roles. You’ll be able to really feel the load of their lives.
On the technical aspect, the movie falls into the entice of overlaying every little thing in blue and grey hues, blunting its visible influence. The CGI is missing, and the design of Dracula leaves one thing to be desired. The Final Voyage of the Demeter is an satisfying water and blood-soaked experience throughout the ocean, whereas additionally feeling plodding and stretched too skinny.