a review of

I quite liked Eggers' Nosferatu remake. I went in expecting a pretentious arthouse take, but found myself genuinely unsettled throughout most of the runtime. The film's atmosphere is impeccably crafted, feeling both fresh and faithful to Murnau's 1922 original. In terms of pacing and visual style, it reminded me of The Witch (2015) but with the gothic horror sensibilities of Crimson Peak (2015). Bill Skarsgård's performance as Count Orlok is absolutely magnetic - he manages to be both repulsive and mesmerizing. Lily-Rose Depp brings surprising depth to Ellen, while Nicholas Hoult effectively portrays Hutter's descent into madness. And Willem Dafoe? That man could read a phone book and I'd be captivated. His brief but crucial role as Professor Bulwer steals every scene. I had to laugh at the geography though - apparently Transylvania now has a convenient direct waterway to northern Germany? Orlok's boat journey might be the most fictional element in this vampire film! Someone should have consulted a map before filming. Also, loved the joke about Newton. That was awesome. The score by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough perfectly complements the visual horror, incorporating period-appropriate elements while still feeling unsettlingly modern. Both a love letter to silent horror and a statement on modern filmmaking - Eggers has created something special here.