Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker's classic novel, "Dracula", "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo--fifty unmarked wooden crates--from Romania to London in 1897, strange events befall the doomed crew comprised of Clemens (Corey Hawkins), Wojchek (David Dastmalchian), Captain Eliot (Liam Cunningham), Abrams (Chris Walley), Digaren (Stefan Kapicic) and others, as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England a month later, it is a charred, derelict wreck, and there is no trace of the crew.
Others to round out the cast are Aisling Franciosi as Anna, Jon Jon Briones as Joseph, Martin Purulund as Larsen, Nikolai Nikolaeff as Petrofsky, Woody Norman as Toby, Javier Botet as Dracula and Graham Turner as Constable.
This was rivetingly and graphically directed by Andre Ovredal ("Future Murder" 2000, "Troll Hunter" '10, "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" '16, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" '19, "Mortal" '20) plus shorts. His staging, pacing and sequential format was to perfection. Of course, he's worked along side of Guillermo del Toro's producer duties when he helmed "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark", and del Toro is a consummate director. This filmmaker's ability to emit just the most effective amounts of emotion given the scene, was startling. Truly Ovredal, by his very resume, is definitely within his comfort zone here,and we are the victors for it. It was refreshingly and originally written by Bragi F. Schut ("Season of the Witch" '11, "Escape Room" '19, "Escape Room: Tournament of Champions" (based on characters created) '21, "Samaritan" '22) plus TV and shorts, and Zak Olkewicz ("Fear Street: Part Two--1978" '21, "Bullet Train" '22), based on a screen story by Bragi F. Schut, which is based on a single chapter called "The Captain's Log" from the classic novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. I've never read Bram Stoker's Dracula, so I had no idea how he reached London until seeing this film. Was this really a horror film? Perhaps, but when I hear the term 'horror', what conjures up in my mind is the typical slasher, slice and dice film that I've grown way too weary of. I feel this is more of a scary story with a heavy dose of blood. This had a premise that was based in a classic story, and one that was pivotal in that in involves how Dracula was able to reach another part of the world. These writers wrote a tight, cohesive script that kept me riveted for the 2-hour running time. And, this is the most hideous looking and acting Dracula I've ever seen in any films about him, and there have been a few. The cinematography by Tom Stern was exquisite as well. He has worked on a plethora of Eastwood films in the past and others as well. He definitely knows his way around a camera.
If you're a Dracula fan, you'll like this, especially since it represents him as the hideous beast that he is--he does not take any prisoners. The directing, writing and acting were effective and definitely gave you what you would be looking for in a film as this is. Was is flawless? No, really others than a couple of very small areas of continuity issues, this was spot on.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 119mins.
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