Luke Evans has just the heroic persona to draw us in to this exciting, semi-historic but mostly fanciful prologue to the Bram Stoker horror novel. His performance is the solid foundation for the tough fairy tale elements that permeate the first half hour of this movie. The relationship between Vlad and his young son is nicely depicted and gets the narrative off to an involving start. Colorful, often lavish production values are on full display. Clearly, no expense was spared in the making of this movie.
Vlad's dark deal with the demonic vampire in the mountain cave has a distinct Faustian flavor that seems appropriate here. His fantastical victory over his enemy's hordes of soldiers hints at the supernatural horror his future life as the King of the Undead will become. It's interesting to see him both shocked and excited by his newfound ability to transform himself at will into not merely one bat, but a swarm of the nasty creatures. By rooting Dracula into Transylvanian history and myth, the screenplay stresses the human core of emotions and familial bonds that gave readers and movie-goers excuses to find him to be at least a somewhat noble and seductive character.
A good movie, engaging and under-appreciated.
