It’s never a good omen when you’re checking the time while watching a movie, but such was the case throughout director Robert Eggers’ latest film, Nosferatu. I was thoroughly bored and deeply let down, as the thought of one of my favorite filmmakers tackling one of my favorite pieces of macabre folklore seemed like a match made in horror heaven. Unfortunately, this match had already suffered months ago, the moment I saw the teaser trailer—the moment my trepidation first took shape. After watching the preview, I couldn’t help but notice how eerily similar it seemed to Francis Ford Coppola’s version of Dracula. But my faith in Eggers held strong, thanks to my steadfast passion for his film The Witch. When the time came to watch Nosferatu, I was genuinely excited, but now I’m left as confused as a vampire biting into a mannequin.
Right off the bat, the film bludgeons you with striking visuals, which are quickly tempered by dialogue that drowned me in boredom. I love the fact that Eggers pays such close attention to detail with his work, particularly in the dialect department, but the content of the dialogue left me feeling hollow. There was no rhyme or reason for anything, and the characters seemed like they were acting in a high school production of Dracula. At times, the set pieces were so captivating that I almost thought they were paintings come to life, but most of the drab color palette turned everything into a massive blur. The sky would blend into the buildings, which would then blur into the streets—all thanks to the overuse of monochromatic hues of blue and grey.
There were plenty of moments that reeled me back in, with Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Count Orlok being the most impressive, on par with some of the greatest vampire villains we’ve seen on screen. Even the final shot looked like something ripped out of a beautifully horrific art history book. But the entire atmosphere of these elements left me unsatisfied. Was it an imbalance that caused this? The fact that Orlok didn’t receive as much screen time as I had initially hoped? Or was the score so dreadfully nonexistent that, as a musician, I felt lifeless trying to navigate through the story? Perhaps it was the fact that everything felt too similar to other versions of Dracula we’ve seen time and time again throughout cinematic history, hitting all the same beats at all the same places.
After letting the film settle for a few days inside my macabre little mind, I was challenged by the idea of watching it again sometime in the future—perhaps during the fall season, when spooky vibes are at their peak. As a fan of Robert Eggers, I appreciate the work he puts into his movies. He takes his time and adds layers of detail that most filmmakers would easily gloss over. Even the effort placed into creating Count Orlok deserves a second screening, if only to absorb all his chaotic charisma that one sitting couldn’t satisfy. In the end, when I look back at how personal the climax of this movie was for its two main characters, it made me think I should probably watch it unfold in a more personal environment—a cozy living room surrounded by candles and my typical spooky decor. Not a theater packed with shuffling coats and phone screens illuminating the room like a digital thunderstorm.
Atmosphere and environment play a large role when it comes to watching a movie, especially one that relies so heavily on building such a dramatic tone. A film like this asks a lot from its viewer; you must let your guard down, be open to artistic interpretation, and drown yourself in disbelief in order to achieve believability. A strange concept, but one that is integral to how successful a story like this will be absorbed by someone like me, who can be so deviously devout to nitpicking criticisms. It doesn’t happen often when I watch a movie that leaves me unfulfilled only to seek it out for more mental punishment, but I have faith in this director and his ability to craft brilliant stories on screen. I could be wrong, but if Count Orlok can go in for a second helping here and there, why should I resist the urge?