Review of Dracula Untold (2014) by Maksim B — 17 Jan 2015

Recent updates of the Dracula legend has been far from successful and even though Dracula Untold scores somehow better, it still fails to reach a level that could make it at least passable. Neither too scary, nor thrilling enough when it comes to action, this latest adaptation is a watchable, yet mediocre winter delivery.

The first and most distinctive difference from the other Dracula movies is the fact that the story tries to be a mixture of legend, historical epic fantasy and a movie that could set the base for further vampire legends. The biggest difference, however, is the fact that this time Count Dracula is actually a positive character, turned bad-ass who kills other bad-asses for the sake of protecting his family and folk. This is a mildly interesting story, which mixes history lessons, Hollywood-friendly values such as protecting your family and people, exotic villains and a mysterious legend of how vampires came to our world.

Unfortunately this blend results in a delivery that has literary zero level of horror thrills and blood. Being almost a bloodless vampire movie filled with CGI battles and fighting sequence, director Gary Shore's debut is more a fantasy epic than a movie that could be called a classic Dracula movie. The pleasantly solid presence of Luke Evans (as Dracula) and Dominic Cooper (as Mehmet) further shapes Dracula Untold as a fantasy epic than as a horror movie, but an epic that fails to appeal beyond the average level of a failed attempt to start a franchise.

As a whole, Dracula Untold is not that bad. If you do not approach is as a horror movie, but as a popcorn entertainment of battles, swords, historical elements, heroes and villains, and some vampires for flavor, then you would actually have decently entertaining 90 minutes. On the other side, if you hope for a solid horror, one that could re-kindle the faith in seeing future Dracula movies, this would definitely disappoint you.