Nosferatu (2024)
Director: Robert Eggers
There’s a chilling moment in Nosferatu where Count Orlok (played hauntingly by Bill Skarsgård) emerges from the shadows, his pale face illuminated by moonlight, his elongated fingers twitching as if they hunger for life itself. It’s a moment that encapsulates the eerie, timeless quality of this remake.
If someone asked me what Nosferatu is about, I’d say, “It’s the story of obsession.” But Eggers’ vision doesn’t make it that simple. Like the silent classic it pays homage to, this film thrives in the spaces between words. The result is mesmerizing, but also deliberately alienating.
Unlike Eggers’ previous works (The Witch, The Lighthouse), Nosferatu feels restrained. The gothic atmosphere is perfect, with shadowy landscapes and a haunting score by Mark Korven, but the emotional depth feels buried beneath its aesthetic perfection. You sense the tragedy of Orlok’s longing and Ellen’s (Lily-Rose Depp) sacrifice, yet the film never quite lets you inside their pain.
That said, the performances are masterful. Skarsgård is terrifying yet strangely pitiful as Orlok, while Lily-Rose Depp brings a delicate strength to Ellen, grounding the film’s dreamlike quality. Nicholas Hoult, as Jonathan, offers a layered performance that balances dread with naïveté.
Ultimately, Nosferatu is visually stunning and admirably faithful to its roots, but its emotional distance may leave some viewers cold. For fans of Eggers and German Expressionism, it’s a feast for the senses—just don’t expect it to leave bite marks on your soul.
In the 1830s, estate agent Thomas Hutter travels to Transylvania for a fateful meeting with Count Orlok, a prospective client. In his absence, Hutter’s new bride, Ellen, is left under the care of their friends, Friedrich and Anna Harding. Plagued by horrific visions and an increasing sense of dread, Ellen soon encounters an evil force that’s far beyond her control.
Release date: December 25, 2024 (USA)
Director: Robert Eggers
Screenplay: Robert Eggers
Distributed by: Focus Features, Universal Pictures
Adapted from: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, Dracula
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