After watching the trailer for “Dracula Untold,” it’s easy to disregard the film as just another ridiculous vampire movie, lacking any real substance. However, while the trailer was all cliches, the movie itself held more depth, enjoyment and surprise. While the acting isn’t noteworthy, it is believable, or as believable as a story about Dracula can be.
Directed by Gary Shore in his feature debut, “Dracula Untold” tells of Dracula’s (Luke Evans, “Fast and Furious 6”) past as Vlad Tepes, beginning with his rivalry with the Sultan Mehmed II (Dominic Cooper, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”). Vlad, a transylvanian prince, finds himself up against the Turks. In order to protect his family, Vlad ventures to the mountain Broken Tooth, where legend has it a creature of immense power abides. In his desperation, Vlad pleads with the vampire Caligula to give him the power to overtake the Turks.
The vampire reveals if Vlad drinks his blood he will have the power to vanquish the Turks, but he will be afflicted with blood lust. If he can overcome his lust for three days, he will be human again. If he succumbs, he will be a vampire forever. Vlad drinks the blood and awakens a vampire. The rest of the plot focuses on Vlad’s fight against the Turks, discovery and his own dark desires.
The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and uses almost every opportunity to utilize sound effects to make you jolt. There are a couple of cheese-filled scenes; capes billow in the wind, slo-mo walks into battle. These scenes, while amusing, don’t overpower the film. If anything, these scenes add some welcome comic relief.
The characters do not experience anything close to monumental personal growth. However, there was a valuable comment on how Vlad came to be called Dracula. The reasoning behind his change in moniker can be considered thoughtful and clever. Despite a lack of character development, it’s easy to become a degree attached to the characters as the story played out.
The film establishes Vlad as the “son of dragon” and “a protector of the innocent,” descriptions that contradict viewers’ previous knowledge of Dracula as a creature that lurks in the dark, draining unsuspecting victims.
The director took care to establish that Dracula wasn’t always a figure associated with evil but rather of heroism. Evil is not always born of evil. The film raises the question: is Dracula evil at all?
“Dracula Untold” could not stand on its acting merits alone, but thankfully the plot is surprisingly thoughtful and well constructed, allowing people to enjoy a fast-paced picture that doesn’t completely disregard quality writing. It was only in the later half of the film, that the romance becomes believable. The finale clearly set the stage for a sequel and did a superb job of wrapping things up in a way that left moviegoers wanting more.
Grade: B-plus
“Dracula Untold” (PG-13, 92 min) is now playing in theaters nationwide.
