Dracula Untold is the re-imagining of the classic Hollywood vampire, from Universal Pictures. Vlad III (Luke Evans) learns of Mehmed II and his plans to "recruit" young men into his thousand-strong army, including Vlad's son Ingeras. Searching for a way to protect his family and his kingdom, Vlad encounters the Master Vampire (Charles Dance), who imbues Vlad with the powers and weaknesses of a vampire, giving him the chance to save all he knows and loves. But, he has only three days to either use the power and watch it fade away, or become a vampire for eternity if he gives in to the thirst.
Dracula Untold was and is a surprisingly sleek and fast-paced tale of love and courage, but because of its pace, it seems like the big themes and moments of the film rush by all too quickly. That's not to say the film is bad; Luke Evans is perfect as Dracula, who is charismatic, brooding and commanding when on-screen (the supporting cast is fantastic as well), the visual effects are dazzling, the music is perfect and Gary Shore's direction isn't spot-on, but gives the film a wonderfully sleek and gorgeous look. It's the script (as usual) that needed some hefty work. It's not that there was an overabundance of cheesiness or clichés (although there were a few of those), everything just seemed 'mashed' together. If someone like Frank Darabont or even Alex Garland added to the script, giving it say fifteen to twenty minutes more, the movie could have been great. But alas, it's simply good at best.
Boasting its visual prowess and grit over story-telling, Dracula Untold is neither bad nor great. If you want a fun, intense ride, see Dracula Untold (preferably in IMAX). Just lower your expectations for the film as a whole, while Luke Evans certainly deserves great attention.
Dracula Untold was and is a surprisingly sleek and fast-paced tale of love and courage, but because of its pace, it seems like the big themes and moments of the film rush by all too quickly. That's not to say the film is bad; Luke Evans is perfect as Dracula, who is charismatic, brooding and commanding when on-screen (the supporting cast is fantastic as well), the visual effects are dazzling, the music is perfect and Gary Shore's direction isn't spot-on, but gives the film a wonderfully sleek and gorgeous look. It's the script (as usual) that needed some hefty work. It's not that there was an overabundance of cheesiness or clichés (although there were a few of those), everything just seemed 'mashed' together. If someone like Frank Darabont or even Alex Garland added to the script, giving it say fifteen to twenty minutes more, the movie could have been great. But alas, it's simply good at best.
Boasting its visual prowess and grit over story-telling, Dracula Untold is neither bad nor great. If you want a fun, intense ride, see Dracula Untold (preferably in IMAX). Just lower your expectations for the film as a whole, while Luke Evans certainly deserves great attention.