‘Nosferatu’ presents a new angle on horror

Reel Impressions is The NewsHouse’s weekly film review. Contributors Francesco Desiderio and Travis Newbery cover everything from new releases to trending classics.

Nosferatu (2024), the newest film from visionary director Robert Eggers, showcases his true love and talent for filmmaking. The gothic, haunting vibe of the film is enchanting, backed up by detailed realism and powerhouse performances. Being Eggers’ most profitable film yet, fans are starting to open up to this style. As his fourth feature film, it’s safe to say that he has found his footing and a community in the industry. 

Nosferatu is actually a remake of the German expressionist silent film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), the first ever vampire movie. Since then, many vampire genre films have been made, such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Twilight (2008). After so many takes on the iconic monster, Eggers finds a way to bring his new version back to the genre’s roots, telling a nuanced story about love and connection with perfect acting and some memorable scares. Not only is this film a great vampire movie, it’s a monster horror film masterclass. 

The new film, on a technical and planning level, is amazing. Intricate costuming and set design of Eastern Europe in 1838, surreal prosthetics, and gorgeous cinematography made the film visually striking. The use of shadows alone brought this film to a whole new level. Eggers and his team did not waste any time or effort when creating the realism of the settings, despite the supernatural yet grounded plot. 

One of the standout positives of this film was the acting. Each and every actor brought their all to this production, especially lead stars Lily Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård. They were something truly special, bringing their full dedication and talent to the roles. The rest of the cast was outstanding, especially longtime Eggers collarborator, Willem Dafoe. The combination of authentic writing, design and acting made me feel like I was transported back in time. I was shocked to learn that Nosferatu received zero acting Oscar nominations, despite scoring nominations in other categories such as costume and production design.

Another standout element of the film was the way horror was incorporated into the story. Naturally, as a vampire movie, it had to involve some scary parts, but Eggers chose to play the long game and build up a sense of dread and terror, instead of cheap jumpscares and gratuitous blood and gore. With only sporadic bursts of violence, the rest of the film instills an anticipatory dread in the audience. The way the horror was presented in Nosferatu was done in a way that can be palatable for audiences that may tend to avoid the genre. 

I loved Nosferatu and am very excited for Robert Eggers’ upcoming projects. I hope that Lily Rose Depp gets more opportunities due to the success of this film and her phenomenal performance, possibly even partnering with Eggers again. With the financial success of this film, it will most likely pave the way for more caring and artistic directors to create their visions.