Review: A Selfhelpfueled Vampire Movie, ‘Renfield Is Goofy, If Flimsy, Fun
With the action-horror comedy Renfield, the iconic Nicolas Cage finally gave the world his performance as Count Dracula and soon descended into the ranks of the greatest Dracula performances of all time, creating the hallowed trifecta of Bela Lugosin and Christopher. Read. His take on the famous vampire is, of course, sexy and proud, providing just the right dose of sarcasm needed for this modern comedic analysis of Dracula's dynamic with his "acquaintance": Robert Montague Renfield (Nicholas Hoult).
The best horror movies know that monsters are metaphors, and Ryan Ridley's "Renfield," written by Robert Kirkman, creator of the zombie epic "The Walking Dead," extrapolates the Dracula/Renfield relationship into a contemporary parable of codependency. codependency narcissistic treatment Renfield is not just his loyal and driven servant, lured to his death by an unsuspecting human prey in Dracula's lair, but another victim, his life force drained from his throat by force, manipulation and gas.
The couple build Dracula's last home in an abandoned New Orleans hospital, and after decades of service, Renfield seeks out a support group for people in toxic relationships. He makes a breakthrough with gang leader Mark (Brandon Scott Jones), realizing that if he doesn't put his boss's needs first, Dracula won't reach his full power. His joke is that he's talking about real monsters, supernatural creatures that can fly in bat clouds and explode, not just rotten girlfriends. But basically, the problem is the same.
"What if Renfield beats up Dracula in therapy?" It's a good joke, used in the trailer, but unfortunately it's a movie with jokes. Directed by Chris McKay, this film feels like a sketch comedy expanded into a 90-minute movie, thanks to an added racketeering crime scene to spice things up.
In an attempt to do less damage, and maybe do some good, Renfield leads Dracula to eat the rest of his team's attackers. This puts him in the middle of a war between Teddy Lobo (Ben Schwartz), who is aided by his crime-fighting mother (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and Rebecca (Awkwafina), a young police officer seeking revenge for the death of his father. . Things get complicated with the all-powerful secular vampire and Renfield, who developed superhuman fighting powers by eating insects.
The plot may be flimsy and expendable, but "Renfield" is full of glee and silliness, the kind of movie where the lovable Hoult leaps onto the head of a murderer, inflating his body like a bloody water balloon while his new friend Rebecca applauds. in. . say goodbye The red matter does not flow so much as it projects, like a geyser, from the amputated limb, our hero swings his amputated arm like a club.
That this violence is perpetrated by our sweetly honest protagonist only matches the terrifying clash of tones reflected in the film's design. Dracula's grounds are gothic and ghoulish, decorated with used blood bags, dripping candles and eerie green lights, his appearance going through different stages of transformation as he regains his powers. But when Renfield set up her apartment, she opted for brightly colored walls and inspirational posters, ditching the Victorian garb for colorful sweaters and khakis.
The tongue-in-cheek tone and hipster style give "Renfield" a throwback '90s feel, much like the classic Tales From the Crypt (aka "Demon Knight"). It is based on the entire history of Dracula, including 125 years of romance and comedies from the 1930s and 1960s, all refracted through a very simple vision of the 1920s, with light and fast action cinematography that catches the eye. focus on contemporary cinema. . trend.
The elegant "Renfield" is slightly sparkling and pleasant. This may sound too frivolous to some, but it's not about indifference, it's about weakness. Hoult and Cage sell the odd couple's toxic dynamic well, but a stronger story is needed to fully propel their performances, especially Cage's Dracula, who delights in terrorizing his reckless family members. "Renfield" dutifully delivered the product, as well as some therapist-approved lessons on codependent relationships, but, unfortunately, was understaffed.
Walsh is the film critic for the Tribune News Service.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
