Robert Eggers delivers a remake of the classic 1922 silent film Nosferatu, displaying a dark and gothic descent into madness that keeps the viewers engaged for the entirety of its runtime. It packs in brilliant performances and set design that will transport you into the world of 1838 Germany.
★★★★☆
Nosferatu, which is a remake of the 1922 film of the same name inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, follows the young Hutter couple as they are forced to fend off a dangerous vampire. At the centre of it all is Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) who finds herself the target of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) as he is infatuated with her in this dark gothic tale of lust.
In a way, Nosferatu feels like a culmination of everything that Robert Eggers has done in his past filmography. From the occultism of The Witch, to the weirdness of The Lighthouse, and then landing on to the machoism of The Northman, Eggers is at the top of his game here. It’s not rehashing what directors like F.W. Murnau or Werner Herzog did with their versions of Nosferatu, but rather this remake feels like it is being bolstered by Eggers’ singular vision.
At its core, Nosferatu isn’t exactly a scary film – even though there are times where it does rely on some cheap jump scares. The most captivating aspect isthe dreariness that is created by the immaculate atmosphere, which is felt throughout every inch of it.
Eggers’ latest project is a spectacular production that helps bring the gloomy streets of 1838 Germany and the snowy mountains of Transylvania to life in an exquisite manner. Couple that with Jarin Blaschke’s cinematography and Robin Carolan’s melodic score and the film is bursting with a devilish moody spirit which creates for an immersive theatre watch like no other.
This is also further carried on to the performances in the film. Eggers’ obsession with making sure that everything from the costumes to the dialect remain as period-accurate as possible is a commendable quality that just helps build a lived-in world. Lily-Rose Depp’s Ellen Hutter is a particular highlight who helps sell the gloomy nature of the time period. Depp is the star here who carries much of the film on her shoulders. Playing a doting wife, who is battling this demon inside her, she brings a level of urgency to this role that involves a lot of physicality. It’s disturbing and tragic in the best way possible.
Then you have Nicholas Hoult’s Thomas Hutter – an estate agent whose first interaction with Count Orlok just leaves him scarred. Hoult brings a certain anger and fear to the role that is so convincing. Not to mention, frequent Eggers collaborator Willem Dafoe gets a sizable role as well in Prof. Albin Eberhart Von Franz. He is a man experienced in the occult and someone who wants to hunt down the Count – and while he is afraid of what the Count’s arrival will do to the city, you can see he takes a little joy in the hunt as well. Overall, the cast is a standout with there not being a single dull point.
However, what truly is a revelation is Bill Skarsgård’s transformation into Count Orlok / Nosferatu. Skarsgård very much seemed like a safe choice for the role given his experience with the genre already, but in Nosferatu, he disappears behind his growly voice and the makeup. It’s similar in the sense of watching Colin Farrell transform into the Penguin. He is dark and unsettling and that is what makes this performance special. The design especially just feels like its own thing and not a copy-paste of what Max Schreck did in the original, as the titular monster is utilised effectively and that’s where Eggers’ passion is visible.
Every scene of the film is bursting with Eggers’ love for the source. From the screenplay to the long sequences of dread and hopelessness, the film maintains a commanding grip on the viewer even if the ending can play out for a bit too long. It’s wildly lustful at times in its execution and a sense of provocation is mixed in with tragedy and shame that makes this such a worthwhile watch. It’s the perfect mood that will give horror fans what they crave out of a dark fantasy tale like this.
The Verdict
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a diabolical concoction of lust and gothic agony that doesn’t waste a single minute. It’s a remake that stands on its own singular vision with brilliant performances and cinematography that will be burned into your brain. It will sink its teeth in to you and won’t let you go, and for that, Nosferatu is a horror watch that you shouldn’t miss.
Words by Rohit Rajput
Nosferatu was released in the UK on 1 January, 2025.
Support the Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.