In the ever-evolving world of cinematic horror, a new film has arrived, promising a fresh take on the age-old story of Dracula. Entitled “Demeter’s last journey“, this film delves into the vampire lord’s journey to London, a narrative inspired by the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, “The Captain’s Log“. The chapter paints a haunting picture of the merchant ship, Demeter, as she embarks on a treacherous journey from the Black Sea port of Varna to Whitby, England.
Directed by the talented André Øvredal, the film boasts a star-studded cast, with Liam Cunningham, Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi and David Dastmalchian taking the lead. Stepping into your formidable shoes Dracula is Javier Botet, joining an elite group of actors including Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman who have previously played the iconic character.
The film attracted attention, especially from the giants of the horror community. Stephen King, the mastermind behind such classics as “This one” and “The shining”, he shared his thoughts, saying: “I doubted it DEMETER’S LAST JOURNEY, but it’s a good throat-ripping moment. It reminded me of the best Hammer movies of the 60s and 70s.” Such praise from King is no small feat for any horror production.
Equally excited, Guillermo del Toro, the visionary behind such masterpieces as “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The shape of water“, he exclaimed: “I loved Demeter’s Last Voyage so much: gorgeous, lavish and wild!!”
However, not all reviews were glowing. Despite praise from King and del Toro, the film has a somewhat lukewarm look 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Kristen Lopez, critic for shellpointed out a potential flaw, noting: “There’s nothing about this take on the character that makes him stand out as Count Dracula over another standard vampire.” Echoing a similar sentiment, Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post astutely noted: “Bram Stoker Wrote Dracula 126 Years Ago – Somehow Hollywood’s Still Kicking It.”
The film’s box office performance in its opening weekend appears to reflect mixed reviews, grossing just $6.5 million. To put this into context, “Demeter’s last journey” was produced on a budget of 45 million dollars. Whether the film will make its mark as a timeless classic or simply become another addition to the great sea of horror films remains to be seen.