Dracula

Directed by Luc Besson, Dracula follows Caleb Landry Jones’ title figure as he attempts to reunite with his long lost love (Zoë Bleu’s Elisabeta). It’s exceedingly (and, generally speaking, excessively) familiar subject matter that’s employed to mostly watchable (if somewhat forgettable) effect by Besson, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the filmmaker does an effective job of initially capturing the viewer’s interest and attention – as the picture kicks off with a striking opening stretch that’s enhanced by Jones’ gleefully broad turn as the iconic central character. From there, however, Dracula segues into a rather hit-and-miss midsection that egregiously hits the various beats and plot points one has come to associate with this well-worn tale – with the been-there-done-that atmosphere, at least, alleviated by a recurring emphasis on fun touches (eg Dracula’s castle is guarded by sentient stone gargoyles) and agreeable digressions (eg a Groundhog Day-esque sequence wherein Dracula attempts to kill himself). By the time the decent (yet padded-out) climax rolls around, Dracula has confirmed its place as a passable adaptation that would surely have benefited from a tightened, more streamlined structure (ie 129 minutes is fairly absurd for a story this well known).

**1/2 out of ****