Review of Dracula Untold (2014) by Sandro A — 09 Sep 2015

Dracula Untold starring Luke Evans as the Legendary Dracula was a very watchable action adventure drama with a new twist on his vampire origins. As the Turks recruit children raised to be soldiers, Vlad is one of the children raised to be a warrior, he becomes a warrior with a bloody reputation.

He returns home after serving the Turks in their bloody war, to his kingdom where peace has existed for 10 years. He is not the same man as he was as a soldier. Choosing negotiations over battle in his new existence.

One day he finds Turks have invaded his kingdom and met a very destructive end. They are killed by what he realizes is a Vampire. He warns to keep this information secret, not to create panic. The Turks send an emissary to negotiate with Vlad for payment & ask for 1000 boys as soldiers accusing him of killing their first envoy, when Vlad goes to negotiate with an old friend close enough to call Brother, they tell him they want his son too.

Vlad ends up killing the second Turk envoy who come to take his son, and heads up to the mountains to sacrifice his soul in order to save the people in his kingdom & his family. The Old Vampire that greets him grants him his wish to become a vampire to fight the Turks with a bargain that if in 3 Days he can resist drinking blood he will return to being a man but if he drinks blood then he stays the monster he has chosen to become to save his son.

He does indeed defeat the first Turk Army but in the end makes a sacrifice he didn't see coming. The new spin on the Dracula story is refreshing but unlike any previous version...and combining the myth of Vlad the Impaler with the Legendary Dracula creates an interesting story.

I liked it though it may not be for everyone.