Gothic period piece films, especially those in the horror category, have been in short supply in recent memory. Not since Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak, eight years ago, have we received a studio film in this smaller genre. The Last Voyage of the Demeter follows a crew on the title ship given the task to carry fifty cargo crates from Romania to England.
Given it is based on a single chapter from the classic novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, there are expectations regarding the outcome of the voyage and the fate of the crew, including Clemens (Corey Hawkins) Captain Elliot (Liam Cunningham), Wojchek (David Dastmalchian), and stowaway Anna (Aisling Franciosi). After receiving word from Anna, as well as having crew encounters with a mysterious creature, it becomes evident that Dracula is on the ship, and he’s heading to England to satisfy his bloodlust.
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The Last Voyage of the Demeter creates a beautifully eerie and haunting atmosphere that coincides with period piece cinematography and lighting that is a few shades darker. It does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the gothic Victorian novel while adding in the images and tone of a classic monster horror film. It has a clear idea of its story and where it is headed, allowing the audience to have fun on the ride.
That being said, it struggles in its editing, not allowing the camera to linger on terrifying sequences long enough to create a real feeling of being trapped. It often cuts between action below deck and the crew above deck without letting the audience sit with the situation they are being presented with long enough. However, it still maintains an enjoyable and suspenseful portrayal of the original source material.
The film rings true to vampire folklore and traditions that enhance the story through the characters actions. Between Dracula being able to transform into a bat-like creature, sunshine being one of his weaknesses, and feeding on humans as the only way to sustain himself, all vampire fans will have a blast. The entire feel of the movie mirrors old sea legends told amongst crew in the dead of night making it seem as though this chapter in Dracula itself could be passed down as its own story.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter has a cast of excellent performers with Corey Hawkins being the standout. The movie takes his character in a direction that rings true to obvious discrepancies between him and society while also giving him his own characteristics and desires that lead all the way until its ending scene. The film knows it can use Clemens’ character to dive a little deeper into 1890s culture while still maintaining the creature feature at its core. Mixing modern and classic, this movie is one Dracula chapter worth exploring.
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