BLOOD WORK: THE HORROR HARVEST: THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023)

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023)

Dracula is truly immortal. When Bram Stoker's novel Dracula was first published in 1897, did anyone foresee the story's longevity or evergreen potential? The story and character of Dracula has continued to endure and rise from the grave for more than a century in film (Nosferatu, the first Dracula film adaptation, was released over 100 years ago) and will likely continue to for the next hundred years.

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER is the latest resurrection of the immortal monster in film and media. From director Andre Ovredal, the same director as the great found-footage monster movie TROLLHUNTER (2010) and SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (2019) among others, comes a new look at horror's most iconic character.

Rather than another full retelling of the Dracula story, this film explores a specific section of the novel, expanding upon the story in fresh and gruesome ways. After seeing the first trailer for this movie and learning what its focus was going to be, I became very excited for this film, loving the entire conceit of this idea. And the movie itself, for the most part, is pretty damn good.

THE PLOT

A cargo ship called the Demeter sets sail from Varna, Bulgaria bound for London, England with a small crew and a charter of several large crates, their contents unknown. A four week long voyage turns into a descent into Hell as one by one the crew falls victim to strange and mysterious wounds at night. Believing the voyage to be cursed, the surviving crewman band together in the face of an evil more monstrous and deadly than they ever imagined.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The film begins by letting the audience know that it will only be adapting the Captain's Log from the novel of Dracula, going so far as to state explicitly that the film is adapting a section of Dracula. This little text card I could've done without. I wish the filmmakers wouldn't have given away that it was Dracula at all. Let those who know revel in excitement of a "stealth" Dracula movie and let those who don't know be surprised. Alas, this is just a minor qualm, no big deal.

From here we jump into the movie and the wonderful trappings of 1897 Varna, Bulgaria as the crew of the Demeter load up their cargo. Not only is this a period piece monster movie, but the film itself is presented almost like a movie made 20 or 30 years ago. It just has that sorta feel to it, which is one of the shining aspects of the movie. It feels like this movie could've been made in the 80s or even the 70s and I love that about it.

What follows is a classic-style old fashioned monster movie, something of a rarity in recent years. This movie feels like it would fit in well alongside classic Hammer horror films or iconic classics from before then or after. The events proceed like the events in 1979's ALIEN or 1987's PREDATOR or even an 80s slasher flick. With a few moments as the exception, this film feels timeless as you don't get a sense of modernity or distinctive moments that feel like the era it was made in. When you watch this movie ten years from now this movie won't be filled with 2023 cringe (mostly, as there are a few instances that scream current year Hollywood, but they were few, thank god).

Dracula is mostly kept to the shadows during the first half of the film, opting for a less is more approach and slowly revealing the monster over the course of the movie. This tactic again lends the movie that classic feel. There are many great moments in the film in which Dracula and the presence of Dracula are felt, growing in intensity and greater horror as the film builds to its crescendo, one of my favorite moments involving the character of Toby, the Captain's grandson. This moment has stuck with me now for a week after seeing the movie.

Dracula himself is unnervingly realized, to great effect in my opinion. We've seen Dracula so many times over the last 100 years of cinema and this film gives us a large unique and distinct vision of Dracula than what we've been privy too. He changes and evolves over the course of the film too keeping you surprised and terrified as the film progresses. If the imagery is reminiscent of anything, it's Dracula's look from F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu, evoking thoughts of Max Schrek's iconic image. This is very appropriate as I feel the only other noteworthy film adaptation of the Demeter voyage is the small sequence from 1922's Nosferatu.

A combination of elements brings Dracula to life in this film: one, the great physicality of actor Javier Botet (and his unnervingly elongated body). Two; the amazing practical effects and prosthetics. And three; CGI for the final transformation, all of it nearly seamless. To me, Dracula's other forms and transformations haven't been explored too often in film history, the 1992 film; Bram Stoker's DRACULA being the major exception to this. Seeing this side of Dracula almost exclusively here was a delight. What's really incredible about this approach is that the monster being Dracula is quite incidental to the plot. You could swap another monster in his place and the film would play out similarly.

The only aspect of this film that really didn't land with me was the ending. When I saw the first trailer and realized what the film was going to adapt, I had hoped for an ending to this film that mirrored the book (as you should). An ending like John Carpenter's THE THING or better yet, an ending where everybody is dead and the monster reigns victorious (like how this section ends in the book). Sadly, this ending goes full Hollywood and even has the audacity to set up a sequel. It's studio interference at its best, folks. I sincerely hope there is an alternate ending that aligns with the book.

Lastly I'll touch on the actors, all of whom do a great job. I was initially concerned with actor Corey Hawkins though as he seemed out of place here (or could've been the fulcrum for this film's potential cringe modernity, and in a few instances he is used that way, sadly). Overall I thought his character was handled very well (save for a few instances) and the actor himself does a great job with the material. There is a theme with his character that all he longs for is "for the world to make sense." It's established that he's a doctor and a firm believer in science and the natural law (insert modernity here).

But this is a great setup for him to face down an evil that doesn't make sense with the world he believes in, a decidedly unnatural foe. The potential for his character here is wonderful, his last moments potentially having him staring this supernatural enemy in the eye as he perishes, the unknowable mysteries of the old world leaving his beliefs shattered, challenging everything he thought true... Or rather this is what I would've liked to have been his character's end (spoiler alert, he doesn't die... he should've died though). God, how I hope there's an alternate ending on the home video release, that would bump this movie up a point in my book, maybe even make this nigh perfect for me.

THE VERDICT

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. Aside from the ending, the film is executed to great effect, feeling timeless and classic, yet a new and fresh approach to the Dracula story. It's a potent old fashioned monster movie, a genre which is growing increasing rare in this day and age. As a lover of character and the book, this movie is a welcome addition and well worth your time. It will definitely be added to my home video library. See it while you can before it leaves theaters.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10