TL;DR – This is a film that is both deeply compelling but also profoundly unsettling. You want to look away, but something keeps drawing you back in.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film

Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress.

Nosferatu Review –

Few films have the legacy of Nosferatu. This story has been foundational to the horror genre generally and vampire films specifically. Nearly every movie in this genre either references the original Nosferatu: Eine Symphonie des Grauens or consciously does not reference that film. But when you are working in a space shared by Bram Stoker, F. W. Murnau & Werner Herzog, you must bring your a-game, and I think Robert Eggers did.

So, to set the scene, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) has newly married the love of his life, Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), but his finances mean that he has to live under the kindness of his friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Wanting to give the world to his new love, Thomas takes up a job as a real estate agent in his town of Wisborg under the auspices of Herr Knock (Simon McBurney). It is here that he is given the job to travel all the way to Transylvania to meet with a reclusive Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) to sign a property deed. Everyone advises that he should not go, but go he does, not knowing he has fallen into a dastardly trap.  

The first thing I want to commend this film on is how well it is lit. This is a production that happens mostly at night or in the middle of winter when the snow and dreary weather drain out all the colours of the world. In modern times, this would have led to a dull film with no life and excitement on the screen. However, I am delighted to say that at every turn, the film brings something new to bear. It is not dull but vibrant; the light is illuminated by the Moon or candles or hidden with menacing intent. Robert Eggers has worked in this space before with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke with The Lighthouse, and it is clear that they brought that work to bear here.

Then we have the cast that has no weak links. Bill Skarsgård is honestly unrecognisable as Count Orlok, to the point where I was shocked watching the credits. He brings such menacing energy to the film but also a feeling of weakness and vanity. Nicholas Hoult plays the throughline for the film and brings the strength of character to the face of immense trauma. Thomas Hutter feels like a character that should fall at the first hurdle, but the man keeps picking himself up. Lily-Rose Depp plays Ellen Hutter, who has the unenviable position of being the focus of Count Orlok’s gaze, unwanted and all. The film could have made her a damsel in distress, but it chose to give her real agency, which was the right choice. Then we have Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the stoic Friedrich Harding and Willem Dafoe as the excentric Prof. Albin Eberhart Von Franz, who make every moment they are on the screen interesting.

While vampire films often dabble into the more risqué nature of things, with vampires being a substitute for whatever moral dangers that could be out there in the world at the time. Yes, even the sparkly ones. I have yet to see a film that takes this vibe into such an uncomfortable yet erotic place. Nosferatu is a film that refuses to hold your hand or look away during unpleasant moments. It goes, ‘Well, you think that Saltburn slurp was bad, well that ain’t got nothing on us’. There is an intentionality to everything that happens on screen, from the music that soars to what they do and do not subtitle to even when the film needs an amusing moment.

It was a fascinating film from start to finish, but there were some moments of frustration to be found. While there are moments when the film is very conscious of its pacing, such as the entirety of The Last Voyage of the Demeter playing out in just two scenes. There are other times when it grinds to a halt as we ponder around. This amplifies once Count Orlok arrives in Wisborg and you are ready for the endgame to start, but we still have a long time left in the runtime. Thankfully, the cast and the staging help get you through these moments and the ending very much sticks the landing, but they are still there.  

In the end, do we recommend Nosferatu? Look, yes, we would, but only for a select group of people. This film is not going to be everyone’s jam, and it is not trying to be. But if you are a fan of horror or suspense, then this is a film for you. Have you seen Nosferatu? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Nosferatu, we would recommend to you Talk To Me.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Nosferatu
Directed by – Robert Eggers
Screenplay by – Robert Eggers
Based on – Nosferatu by Henrik Galeen
Music by – Robin Carolan
Cinematography by – Jarin Blaschke
Edited by – Louise Ford
Production/Distribution Companies – Maiden Voyage Pictures, Studio 8, Birch Hill Road Entertainment, Focus Features & Universal Pictures
Starring – Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson & Simon McBurney with Adéla Hesová, Milena Konstantinova, Gregory Gudgeon, Claudiu Trandafir, Georgina Bereghianu, Jordan Haj, Katerina Bila, Karel Dobrý & Christian Dunkley-Clark
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: 14A; Germany: 16; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R