Robert Eggers’s film Nosferatu returns to an age-old vampire story that dates back to 1922.
This modern retelling stars some of Hollywood’s brightest talent, including Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård as Ellen and the vampiric Count Orlok, respectively. They’re joined by Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.
The Cert-15 film, set to hit UK cinemas on January 1, 2025, has generated early buzz— but is it worth a day-one watch?
Here’s a round-up of the latest reviews to help you decide.
The Independent - Five stars: ‘Revitalises a classic monster’
The Independent offers a ringing endorsement of Nosferatu with a five-star review, particularly praising Depp’s “magnificent” performance as a hysterical Ellen and noting Skarshård’s “demonically unrecognisable” transformation into the disgustingly erotic Nosferatu.
“Nosferatu not only revitalises a classic monster, it reminds us why they matter at all,” the reviewer, Clarisse Loughrey, says.
The Guardian - Three stars: ‘Respectful homage’
Over at the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw is not as emphatically positive with a more measured three stars.
While Bradshaw praises the film's respect for the original and its technical prowess, he argues that it lacks clarity in its purpose and genre.
“The film is handsomely produced and shot, with good performances,” he says. “Although for me, Skarsgård’s vampire is opaque and forbiddingly gruesome without being necessarily as scary as could be expected.”
Empire - Four stars: ‘Lily-Rose Depp is full-bloodedly committed’
Empire lands nearer the middleground with a four-star review. It praises the film for reviving the vampire genre and firmly placing it in the modern era.
The review draws striking parallels between the fear of vampirism and contemporary anxieties, creating a film that leaves a powerful impact on its audience
“Eggers has made a timely film about the spread of corruption and decay, and there’s an eerie peculiarity to both of these plague-infested movies arriving soon after a pandemic (Spanish flu, Covid),” writes Empire’s Jamie Graham. “Will this Nosferatu also mirror the first by surviving for decades to come? Time will tell but, right now, you’d do well to invite it in.”
The BBC - Four stars: ‘Multi-layered and innovative’
The BBC’s Nicholas Barber praises Nosferatu for “[restoring] the mystery and magic to the concept of an undead bloodsucker by stripping away all of the vampire clichés.”
Once again, Depp and Skarsgård’s performances receive praise.
“What really separates Eggers' Nosferatu from the flock is how deeply it explores the images and themes of vampire lore,” Barber says. “There aren't many Dracula films that give you so much to sink your teeth into.”
