Robert Eggers breathes clammy new life into Nosferatu, the 1922 horror classic that reimagined Dracula as the grotesque Count Orlok. In his latest film, Eggers delves deep into the shadows, offering a raw and menacing take on the gothic legend. Bill Skarsgård’s Orlok emerges as a primal force of terror—often veiled in darkness, his unsettling presence hinted at rather than fully revealed. Eggers sidesteps the suave villain archetype to craft a creature that embodies pure dread, drenched in inky blackness and decay.
The story largely follows the familiar beats: Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) ventures to Orlok’s eerie castle, unwittingly drawing his wife, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), into the vampire’s sinister web. Ellen’s character becomes a focal point, her psychosis and psychic bond with Orlok heightening the film’s unnerving energy. Depp delivers a ferocious performance, her hysteria defying the male-dominated rationality of the era.
Eggers amplifies the atmospheric dread through painstaking detail, creating a world steeped in unease. While his meticulousness occasionally bogs the pacing, the oppressive mood and surreal visuals captivate. By transforming Nosferatu into a grim exploration of fear, sexuality, and madness, Eggers cements his place as a master of modern horror.
