Remakes of classic movies never looked this good before.

In 1800s Germany, a woman is haunted by visions, while her husband travels to distant lands to settle a housing transaction. However, these events will bring a terrible plague upon them and the country…

The boom of horror movies continues. Director Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, VVitch, and The Northman) brings this remake of the 1922 silent expressionist movie by F.W. Murnau. Starring Nicholas Hoult (clearly not done with vampires since 2023’s Renfield) Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe. Usually, remakes of movies are regarded with trepidation, and remaking classic movies is often considered blasphemous. But Eggers has a lot of talent for reincarnating this sort of movie for the modern age, and Nosferatu might be an exception to old rules.

The plot follows Thomas Hutter (Hoult) who is tasked with settling the sale of a house to one Count Orlok. His wife, Ellen, has terrible portents about this journey, but eager to prove his worth and to help his family, Thomas goes. But Count Orlok is not all he appears to be. Locals around his castle fear him and seem to hold him at bay with strange rituals.

If this, or the trailer, sounds like the beginning of Dracula, there is reason for that. Nosferatu (1922) was a German movie inspired by Bram Stoker’s story, with changes made to avoid infraction. These, in fact, were not enough; negatives of the original movie were almost completely destroyed as a result of Stoker’s estate’s fury against it. This led Nosferatu to become its own legend, despite sharing much DNA with its blood relative. So to speak.

The original film stands as a testimony to film-making at that time. It is a spooky, relentless movie with sharp visuals that haunt the viewer for decades. Remaking it almost seems… sacrilegious.

But director Robert Eggers has a lot of experience in creating eerie films. Whatever criticism lies on 2015’s The VVitch (and I did criticise it) it can’t be faulted for an oppressive, fearful atmosphere. Nosferatu is exactly that. A film steeped in its time period; completely cloaked in shadows and wonderfully gothic use of light. Our performers are mostly familiar faces, yet they acquit themselves with good “old-timey” accents. Gentlemen have wonderful top hats. Everything feels real and lived in. From opulent houses to dank castle corridors. Lily-Rose Depp (yes, of that family) throws herself in a kinetic performance, surely making her mark in horror movies for years to come. While Willem Dafoe delivers his classic brand of unorthodox conviction, bringing earnestness and what little levity the film has.

The original Nosferatu was black and white, and was later displayed with a sepia toning. Whether intentional or not, Eggers’ film maintains a monochrome appearance. Bouncing between oranges and yellows, and blues and greys.

It is not a scare-a-minute horror. Some audiences might find the pacing to be slow. Again, Eggers’ filmography explains all. Those expecting a bombastic vampire movie, will be tormented by the deliciously slow boil the film relies upon. Like Scott’s Alien, the monster’s presence is felt long before it becomes an active participant in the action. Such is the way with the best of horror; tension with the slow rise of realization in the characters.

Having watched the 1922 film a long time ago, the persistent memory of it is: shadows. The 2025 film is savvy enough to not make this a gimmick to be overused. Instead, it sticks to the original’s twisted, haunting atmosphere. It is more grotesque than its original; times have changed and technology has improved. Our antagonist torments Ellen in a myriad of ways, often sexualized, but always distressing. Count Orlok is a vile creature, barely human, compared to the affluent Dracula which he is based. Bill Skarsgard fills the role of Orlok (of course he does) very well.

Overall, Nosferatu is an excellent horror movie. It respects its ancestry while revamping it for modern audiences. It is vile and uncompromising. In some ways, better than many “Dracula” movies out there.