Where I Watched It?: Peacock

English Audio Description?: Yes

Nicolas Cage is having the time of his life right now. After playing himself last year in the surprisingly well done The unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, he’s getting things off his bucket list. I know I can’t talk about that other one just yet, but he’s been wanting to play Dracula forever, and he might have wanted a dramatic turn, but he wouldn’t have had something fitting of his talent.

Nicolas Cage has fans because no matter how shitty the film, he is always 100% committed to the role. He’s been in some truly terrible films, but his commitment to the absurd often elevates the most mundane and forgettable fare. The Sorceror’s Apprentice? Made better because Cage is in it. I say this not as a devoted fan, but someone captivated by his electric energy, whether it’s appropriate or not. He apparently once heard teh term “go big or go home”, and must hate his house.

And, if we were to talk about potential likely successors to the Cage level of commitment, Nicholas Hoult wouldn’t be a bad place to start. if there’s any doubt, go watch Mad Max: Fury Road, follow that with Warm bodies, and then some episodes of The Great, and you’ll find an actor who is quite a chameleon and able to move into any role and deliver 100% on the promise. It’s why I’m so upset he isn’t the new Superman. Considering james Gunn’s style, he seemed like a perfect fit for Superman Legacy. As Renfield, nick is hilarious as a somewhat perpetually torn familiar who is stuck with someone who wants to feed on the blood of the innocents. It’s a role done so well already on What We Do In The Shadows, but Hoult elevates it through his scenes where he attends therapy and discusses his relationship with Dracula like he’s in a toxic marriage.

These two aforementioned actors are absolutely the reason to watch. Instead of just trusting that the dynamic works here, and find the funny in just this material, the movie is bogged down by a subplot featuring Aquafina, and her seemingly last honest police officer role, in what feels like another film. Like, there was a film about a cop avenging her father’s murder in a corrupt crime boss situation, and they merged that with Dracula. it doesn’t work, no matter how hard she tries to make it work. And let’s not even talk about the perpetual disappointment of seeing Shoreh Agadashloo showing up in these tiny roles where she’s been placed by people who didn’t watch her work in House of Sand And Fog. I know her name isn’t as easily marketable as some others, but Jesus. Between her and hiam Abbass, we have two tremendous leading ladies that come from the same area of the world, and since their breakthrough performances have never managed a role befitting their talent.

Renfield is a bloody good time for the most part, but does have a tendency to forget its purpose, and choose to give more time to Aquafina than Cage, a mistake that should never be made. I’m not a hater of Ms. Fina, and I think her dramatic work has shown promise in films like Swan Song. But a little bit of her can go a long way, and when she’s interjected into a film, she can quickly pull all the focus to her. She’s an amazing talent when used properly, but when people keep assuming she can play second fiddle, or a supporting role, she really hasn’t been able to pull that off since Crazy Rich Asians, and at times, this feels like her film, and not either of the Nick’s.

The audio description does a good job of focusing on the absurd violence. It’s way over the top. It’s gory for sure, and a well earned R rating, but it’s the kind of gore that’s not meant to be scary, but fitting of a horror comedy. And the audio description knows that, and explores it. It also does a fairly good job with costumes, as Renfield and Dracula aren’t the kind of casual dressers you would expect. One thing I have to note is something I can’t see, but I’m aware that almost every critic has brought up the fact that the gore is CG and portly done. Often characters who should be covered in blood based on what just happened, aren’t, because the blood isn’t practical, and no one on the production team apparently felt the need to plan for this.

I enjoyed it. Perhaps not as much as Massive Talent, but way more than The old Way. Please, let films like this be leading to a resurgence for Cage so he can stop saying Yes to every awful script that crosses his path.

Final Grade: B