Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude’s latest endeavor, Dracula, is a three-hour vampire romp that defies all logic. The film is a jumbled mess of 14 chapters, each linked by the overarching theme of vampirism in various forms. Narrated by a fictional movie director who introduces each chapter like Vincent Price presenting a schlocky horror series, Jude’s vision is both chaotic and exhausting.
The story begins with an AI-rendered vampire exclaiming “I am Dracula and you can all suck my c–k!” as the tone for the next three hours sets in. The film is riddled with crude jokes, fake sex scenes, and a fable about magical penises growing in a farm woman’s cornfield. However, what makes this story not entirely clear.
Jude sees Dracula as fiction’s ultimate capitalist victimizer, exploiting the lifeforce of others for his own pleasure. But this interpretation feels muddled by the exhaustive material, and too obvious at times. The film also explores themes of exploitation in the movie industry and tourist attractions, particularly those in Romania.
One story follows a washed-up actor who plays the vampire in a subterranean dinner theater, while another thread is about video game programmers going on strike against their evil boss. These segments seem to be commentary on how Dracula has evolved from an immortal legend to a mere mortal victim.
However, Jude’s attempt at critiquing modern visuals and societal norms falls flat due to the film’s poor production quality. The director intentionally shoots cheap, like disposable images found on social media, which may be seen as a commentary but also detracts from the overall viewing experience.
Ultimately, Dracula is unlikely to leave a lasting impression or spark meaningful conversations about its themes. It’s a bewildering attempt that caters more to die-hard vampire completists than casual viewers.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/dracula-review-romanian-auteur-radu-judes-rowdy-vampire-flick-is-too-many-movies-at-once-1236337600