‘Renfield Review: Nicolas Cage Gives Dracula New Bite
In 2017, Universal announced ambitious plans to remake some classic horror films from the 1930s and 1940s. It was titled The Dark Universe and has only had two feature films, 2017's The Mummy starring Tom Cruise and Tom Cruise. 2020 before canceling The Invisible Man with Elisabeth Moss. And while director Chris McKay's (Tomorrow's War) Renfield isn't a Dark Universe project, the concept could make for a reboot of its own.
"Renfield" is the story of Robert Montagu Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), a policeman who meets the world's most famous vampire, Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage). Renfield spends his days at a support group for adults in toxic relationships, hoping to get rid of Dracula once and for all. But when Renfield becomes embroiled in a war between a notorious New Orleans crime family and defeats police officer Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafinan), he can turn to Dracula to rule the world.
"Renfield" is at its best when it focuses on a familiar character and the problem of the villainous Drake. Cage and Holt recreated scenes from Bela Lugosi's 1931 feature film with an attention to detail that they believed Holt particularly had in the film. In the modern world, Hoult never gets around to imitating the original Renfield actor Dwight Frye, so he ditches the madness of the title character in favor of more sadness and despair. He's an abused victim who doesn't know who to turn to, and aside from the fact that he's been stalking real vampires for hundreds of years.
Holt's charisma and sweetness are tempered by Cage's performance, much like Dracula, and it's disappointing that there are few scenes that outdo each other. Dracula finds Renfield's humble new home particularly interesting at one point, as they near separation; Backed into a corner, he tries to use screams and medical techniques that would make Cage's character proud. As they interact, the script delves into the parasites of their relationship, as well as elements of the original film and Bram Stoker's novel.
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Renfield and Dracula's relationship is complicated by Awkwafina's police persona and the struggle to rid New Orleans of the crime-loving Lobo family, led by the evil villain Ella (Shoreh Aghdashlo) and her beloved son Teddy (Ben Schwartz). It's easy to see why this story isn't good enough to support its own movie, but why pack it into a horror comedy? It seems fitting, of course, that aside from Stoker's argument, Renfield becomes so powerful when he eats goblins (his own version of spinach, apparently) that he can do anything but cut his hands with a plate. Cover your entire face with your bare hands.
Hoult and Awkwafina have good buddy chemistry in these moments, but overall it's unsurprising, and whenever Cage shows up I wish the movie had saved Awkwafina's banter for most of the horror commercials. However, the fight choreography is amazing, especially the extended sequence in the apartment. The film uses its R rating to its advantage, which negates some amazing creative moves, though its impact is overshadowed by the apparent excess and overuse of CGI (there's a lot of it in this film).
Aghdashalu and Schwartz are also fun to watch, but seem better suited for a swashbuckling film. In fact, Planet Line is more of a throwaway moment than anything else in this series. Especially since he and Cage's Dracula have such strong chemistry in the scene they share together, it would have been better to mix the challenge with some scary mythology.
But when things start to drag, things move quickly because the movie is only 90 minutes long, and the comedy takes Mark (Brandon Scott Jones, "Isn't It Romantic") to the merry-go-round as Renfield pays a visit. his support group. Various characters associated with the group have their own versions of Dracula, and while the bloodshed is metaphorical, their stories are entertaining. Renfield as a movie If Renfield continues what the character started, he could become stronger as he seeks revenge on his new friends.
Universal Renfield is a great example of how the dark universe can be revived. Take characters or themes that intrigue the audience and find a way to explore them properly. Holt and Cage are good in their roles, and the script does its best to find a new way to update Stoker's unusual romance. These are the children of the night to watch.
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