By: debbie lynn elias
Passionately fascinated with all things vampyric and particularly the historical facts and myth about Prince Vlad of Wallachia, House of Draculesti aka Vlad the Impaler, needless to say I have been beyond curious about DRACULA UNTOLD. Mesmerized from small on by Murnau’s 1922 silent, “Nosferatu”, many subsequent Dracula tellings, including Werner Herzog’s 1979 “Nosferatu the Vampyre” and Coppola’s more popular 1992 version starring Gary Oldman in the title role, although constructed with many exemplary cinematic elements, have been hit and miss for me, with something always missing or simply rehashed with no fresh eye. But now, with DRACULA UNTOLD director Gary Shore brings us an origin story that is fresh in ideology, painting a different and previously unseen picture of Vlad, a very human portrait of a man forced to face his own mortality and humanity out of love, leading him to his ultimate destiny.
We first meet Vlad on a river shore in Transylvania. Something is amiss, leading Vlad to believe that an invasion by the Turkish ruler King Mehmed is imminent. Finding a Turkish helmet wedged between the river rocks, at first blush it appears a trap for, as Vlad intones, “where there is one Turk, there are more”. But on closer inspection of the region and the river, it is clear that the helmet floated downstream to its resting spot. With that in mind, Vlad and his men go in search of the source and the scouts or legion laying in wait to attack. But Vlad finds no army, no scouts. He finds a cave, a cave in which evil lives.
As two of his men are killed by whatever this unseen evil is within the cave, Vlad heads back to his home and to Brother Lucian, one of the monks within the kingdom at the Comana Monastery which had been built by Vlad. After all, who better to ask about evil than a religious man. Lucian spins a tale of a man being tricked into drinking the blood of a vampire, thus cursed for all eternity but with power of the darkest dominions and a thirst for blood. He allegedly now awaits a man strong enough to accept the transfer of this great power, which will return the “Master” to human form, and no longer cursed with evil.
Vlad heads home to his wife and son, ready to celebrate 10 years of peace with the Turks. But while Vlad looks to celebrate, Turkish ruler King Mehmed demands not only payment of untold amounts of silver, but also 1000 boys for death squad training in his Army. One of those boys would be Vlad’s own son. Vlad refuses and war erupts. Unable to protect his people, including his son, Vlad knows where he can acquire the kind of power needed to defeat Mehmed and back to the cave on Broketooth Mountain.
Basing DRACULA UNTOLD on much of the history of Romanian Prince Vlad Tepes (as did Bram Stoker), Shore and screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless inject elements of historical accuracy while then veering into a more romanticized depiction of the man as a loving husband, father and prince, a man who will sell his soul to protect his child. We also see an expanded love story that celebrates the marriage and love between Vlad and wife Mirena (In reality, Vlad III was known to have two wives, the first bearing him a son who would succeed his rule) who knew his secret and stood by him, battling her own people on his behalf. Keeping the story straightforward while simplifying and melding history and myth, director Shore than has free reign to engage us visually with some stunning battle sequences, captivating shimmering imagery of glistening light against dark, and whirlwinds of bats at the command of Vlad. Much of the CGI effects are jaw-dropping. Shore also adopts a voice-over narrative bookending, creating a storybook feel as Vlad’s son tells the story of his father. Creating elements of true fear is editor Richard Pearson who dazzles with rapier cuts within the pitch blackness of the cave putting the audience on the edge of their seats.
Making the most of the picturesque yet rugged landscape of Northern Ireland where DRACULA UNTOLD was lensed, Shore and cinematographer John Schwartzman create not only a visually impressive palette celebrating shadows, the play of light and dark and most notably, use of negative space, but a widescreen scope of grandeur and vastness which serves to make the presence of Luke Evans and his performance even more commanding and impressive. Golden candlelit tones and glow within the family chambers are a lovely balance to the inky blacks, blue-blacks and greys of the dark dominion, giving a visual warmth to the family unit.
And yes, Evans is just that. Commanding, impressive, intense, masculine and sexy, yet giving Vlad a vulnerability and likeability, not to mention romanticism, that tempers the demonology of myth, Evans is a feast for the senses. A multi-textured emotional and physical performance for an emotionally complex character. Disappointing is Dominic Cooper who never feels regal or militarily astute as the murderous Mehmed. His accent is also regionally bad. Sarah Gadon matches Evans beat for beat as Mirena while Art Parkinson charms with the innocence and pride of a loving son.
Exceptional is the score by Ramin Djawadi. Sweeping and lush, the music tells its own story, buttressing the visual imagery and story of the film. The balance between tenderness and ferocity within the music and emotional beats if palpable.
Although there are moments that feel somewhat contrived, and yes, much literary license, there is never a moment you are not fully engaged in the story or in the character. Luke Evans puts us under a spell in DRACULA UNTOLD.
Directed by Gary Shore.
Written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless based on characterizations by Bram Stoker
Cast: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson
