Nosferatu Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

Robert Eggers returns to the horror genre with this remake of an original 1920s German classic. Vampires haven’t felt this threatening since Bram Stoker’s Dracula!

Genre: Fantasy / Horror / Mystery

Director: Robert Eggers

Cast: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skasgård, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Adéla Hesová, Milena Konstantinova & Simon McBurney.

Run Time: 132 min.

US Release: 25 December 2024

UK Release: 01 January 2025

German Release: 02 January 2025

After venturing into the world of folktale fantasy with The Northman, Eggers returned to the world of fantasy horror to direct a remake of this long-time passion project. Now, I need to confess that I haven’t, until now, ever watched the original 1922 German film, directed by F.W. Murnau. It is something that I wanted to do for a long time, yet didn’t have the time for. As such, I went into the theatre with no expectations, obtaining a mind-blowing experience in direction, with an incredible commitment to the story. So, grab your wooden stakes, as we shine some moonlight on my review for Nosferatu.

A haunted young woman is stalked by a creature of the night, infatuated with her. As he creeps closer, he leaves a trail of deadly horror in his wake. A classic gothic fantasy tale, told in a modern light, for a new audience. 

This has been a passion project for the director ever since he was in high school, producing staged performances of the original black-and-white picture. Eggers himself stated that he is fascinated by vampirism and Dracula. The script had been developed over a ten-decade long period, in which he decided to forget everything he knew, so as to not pollute the screenplay with his previous cinematic experiences of the thematic, absolutely succeeding in it.

For one, the plot returns to the pure wickedness of vampirism; there is no humanity in Count Orlok, he is simply evil incarnate. This malice primarily drives the narrative, as its menacing presence is evident from the first scene, flickering on screen. Orlok serves as a simple manifestation of topics explored in the plot, considered bad in nature, such as sexuality, pleasure, desire, disease, mental health and ultimately death, making it a truly magnificent horror flick. These themes create a tapestry of emotions, stemming from internal conflicts, driven primarily by fear, passing it to the viewers.

The story is straightforward, though it has enough mystery to keep the tension wound up. Also, as I understood, it is a faithful adaptation of its original counterpart. However, the long runtime can be felt, as it contains unsmooth pacing in parts, while the uncomplicated recitation can sometimes feel monotonous.

The dialogue reflects the meticulous research given to the movie, focusing on the dialect, as well as the tone of the era it is set in. As previously stated, it contains a vast array of emotions, expressed primarily through conversations between characters. 

The cast is stacked with new, as well as veteran talent, all giving outstanding performances. The characters are well written, containing solid depth, plus have plausible connections to each other. 

Lily-Rose Depp is the standout in this film! Her portrayal of Ellen Hutter is manically emotional. She goes through various spectrums of sentiments in one single scene, all rooted in the fear of the door she opened in her past, as she was praying for someone/something to end her loneliness. Ellen is a complex character, the personification of the core subjects of the story.

Nicholas Hault gives an equally strong rendition as Ellen’s husband, Thomas Hutter, having impeccable chemistry with Depp. Thomas is a real estate agent in the town of Wisburg, hoping for a promotion to become partner in the Knock brokerage, he gets assigned to meet with the mysterious Orlok to sell him a manor. Hault sold his scene of shock and panic once he sees his client in full light, with an incredible, realistic facial performance.

Bill Scarsgård as Count Orlok is unrecognisable in his prosthetics; in fact, if he hadn’t been announced, no one would have recognised him. Contrary to Pennywise, his depiction of the Count is more sombre, but equally frightening. Once his full persona comes to light, one can’t shake an absolute feeling of threat. 

Willem Defoe is, as always, great. He plays researcher Albin Eberhart, who studied vampires, believing them to exist. Finally, we have Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who gives an amazing portrayal of Hutter’s best friend, a cheery, wealthy man, who slowly gets tortured psychologically by the being. 

Nosferatu is a gorgeous movie to get lost in, making proper use of light and shadow to emphasise its terrifying nature. The desaturated background colour is thematic, while the vigorous, sudden cuts underline the emotionally drenched narrative. It sells its settings, using panning cameras that loom over snow-swept streets of a late 19th-century German town, or simply indulges viewers with a moonlit scene, in which a spooky castle penetrates from the background. Sequences make a lot of use of long static shots, sometimes in combination with classic camera trickery, such as the dolly zoom, to foreshadow danger.

The costumes plus set design are incredibly immersive of its time period, giving it much detailed thought. Effects are visibly practical, with CGI only used as a supportive tool, emphasising its gothic nature. The extensive prosthetics used on actor Bill Scarsgård to transform him into the terrifying Orlok look shockingly real, and are unbelievably comprehensive. Much love has gone into the production. 

Robin Carolan’s composition balances melancholic symphonic sound and orchestral screeches, intensifying the frightening atmosphere, without ever feeling overbearing. It's the perfect musical companion to the explosive artistic visuals. 

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Verdict: Nosferatu was Robert Eggers' big passion project, having worked on different variations of it since his high-school years, and working on this particular version since his directorial debut with The Witch. While it is a vibrantly visual sensation that will send shivers down your back, it isn’t Eggers’ best. Don’t get me wrong, it is undoubtedly a masterpiece; however, the runtime is a tad too long, plus the pacing does drag a little at times. Not enough to get the audience bored, but one can feel the nearly two-and-a-half-hour-long runtime. That said, the story is a beautiful, modern representation of the 1920s original gothic-horror; the acting is superb, especially Lilly-Rose Depp’s depiction of Ellen is noteworthy! The camera work is out of this world, the effects are jaw-droppingly beautiful, the lighting is atmospherically gloomy, while the music gives pure chills. The new year is off to a good start, as I grant Nosferatu a well-deserved 9.0 out of 10.

Have you seen Eggers’ newest picture yet? If so, do you agree with my review, or do you oppose my view? Let me know in the comments below & thank you very much for reading!