It’s one of the oldest and most frequent retellings in horror, but Robert Eggers’ take on a vampire count’s reign of terror is a refreshing, memorable interpretation of a classic tale. Dark, sensuous, atmospheric and haunting, 2024’s Nosferatu is one of the best films to recently come out of the darkness.

A remake of the classic 1922 silent film (itself an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula), it takes the original as more of a guideline in order to put the focus on the torment of Ellen Hutter by Count Orlok. Plagued by the vampire’s insatiable desire for her, Ellen battles her own desire, the temptation to give herself over to the Count. In this way, the film’s use of the vampire returns it back to the monster’s Victorian-era subtext, per Dracula: representative of women’s socially-repressed sexuality, of “forbidden” desires. Orlok is a temptor, whose appeal comes from the sexual freedom he represents, an appeal only made possible in a society that represses sexuality in the first place.

Essentially: this movie is horny. But don’t expect sexy vampires (sparkling or otherwise). This Count Orlok harkens back to the vampire in its original depiction: as a rotting corpse. He’s revolting, a sickly, shuffling mountain of unholy violence and unrestrained lust. Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal begins subtly, opting less for the upfront visuals of Max Schreck’s original depiction in favor of a brooding insinuation, a towering, bundled-up monolith of potential violence. However, there is a component to the character’s design that, while probably historically accurate, feels out of place—but you get used to it.

However, it’s Lily-Rose Depp’s fantastic performance as Ellen that is the acting highlight. She commands every scene she’s in, depicting the unraveling of a woman being driven to psychosis with range, depth and heart. Willem Dafoe is, as usual, brilliant as a madman, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s character provides a compelling, worldly counterpoint to the insanity unfolding around them all. The ambience is moody and bare, yet sinuous and enthralling, as masterfully shot as Eggers’ previous films. Any complaints are really just nit-picking, because this film is about as close to perfect as it could be.

Five out of five mustaches.

Photo Credit: IMDB