‘Nosferatu’ First Reactions Call Robert Eggers’ Remake, ‘Pure Evil,’ ‘Classically Haunting,’ And ‘Goes Harder Than Any Other Horror Film This Year’
Nicholas Hoult stars as Thomas Hutter in director Robert Eggers' ‘NOSFERATU.’
Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.
One of cinema's most legendary vampires is back, and it's making a bloody splash.
Robert Eggers' highly-anticipated ‘Nosferatu’ has finally screened for critics, and early reactions are calling it a "knockout" with stunning craftsmanship and a deeply haunting atmosphere.
The 2024 film is a fresh reimagining of F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent German Expressionist classic. In Eggers' version, Lily-Rose Depp plays Ellen Hutter, a young woman who becomes the obsession of the terrifying vampire Count Orlok, portrayed by Bill Skarsgård. The film boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.
Eggers directed and penned screenplay.
Variety’s senior awards editor Clayton Davis had nothing but praise, calling the film “gorgeous and horrifically brilliant.” He singled out Depp for her “haunting” performance and described Skarsgård as “menacing” in his portrayal of the iconic bloodsucker.
David Ehrlich, Indiewire's chief film critic, emphasized the film’s raw intensity, noting its "sweaty, writhing" energy, and assured fans that this was a compliment, not a critique. It's clear that Eggers has dialed up the tension and atmosphere to spine-tingling levels — something he’s accustomed to doing with his three previous films; ‘The Witch,’ ‘The Lighthouse,’ and ‘The Northman.’
Jazz Tangcay from Variety was equally enthusiastic, declaring Eggers' ‘Nosferatu’ a “perfect remake” that stays true to its roots while delivering something new. Meanwhile, Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist couldn’t help but think about awards season, pointing out that the film is poised to be a “major below-the-line player,” with technical aspects like cinematography, production design, and sound ripe for recognition. He also floated the idea that Lily-Rose Depp could be in the running for a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
Nicholas Hoult stars as Thomas Hutter and Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers' ‘NOSFERATU.’ Courtesy of Aidan Monaghan / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.
Courtney Howard of Variety says ‘Nosferatu’ taps into a primal fear. "If you’re not afraid of rats before seeing this movie, you will be now," she warned, adding that the film is "more intense than any horror movie this year."
Not every critic was completely floored, though. Germain Lussier from Gizmodo admitted it wasn't his favorite Eggers film, but still conceded that it’s a “knockout” with a dark, devilish sense of humor.
Eggers has made no secret of his love for the original 1922 ‘Nosferatu,’ calling it one of the greatest and most haunting films ever made.
“It was an indie horror in its day, a bit rough around the edges, but its mystique is what makes it unforgettable,” Eggers shared with Shudder. He also noted that while the restored color-tinted versions are impressive, he has a personal fondness for the gritty black-and-white prints. "Those grimy versions have an uncanny mystery to them," he said, referencing the eerie myth that actor Max Schreck might have been an actual vampire.
‘Nosferatu’ promises to bring that same sense of eerie mystery and otherworldly horror when it hits theaters on December 25, 2024.
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