Le Dernier Voyage du Demeter

Un film DreamWorks/Universal du même niveau de qualité qu’une daube de Netflix. Le début est prometteur avec de beaux décors et les intérieurs élaborés et bien éclairés du vaisseau dans les ténèbres. La première apparition de Dracula et les meurtres atmosphériques des premières victimes sont spectaculaires. Mais dans sa seconde moitié, le film commence à se déliter au niveau de l’intrigue, la tension graduelle est remplacée par des scènes dramatiques mal montées, les belles images de synthèse sont remplacées par la brûlure bon marché du lever de soleil, et les personnages, grâce à un scénario qui se détériore désespérément, perdent les contours de signification qui leur avaient été donnés à l'origine. L'épilogue plein d’assurance à la Van Helsing n'en est que plus risible. (17/09/2023)

André Øvredal and his gothic boat vampire horror based on Stoker's novel. I have to say that I like Øvredal, he is an active horror filmmaker and chooses interesting and unconventional horror genre films, though not always as good as The Autopsy of Jane Doe (he probably won't top that one), but he never outright pisses me off and doesn't try for any arthouse or ambitious works. In short, rewarding horror entertainment, of which there is never enough. A lot was expected from The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and early overseas reviews suggested it probably wouldn't be the horror film of the year, which I can confirm, but it's still very attractive and likeable, and as a true horror fan, I feel the need to express my gratitude that we didn't get another bland ghost movie, another bland slasher or another family friendly twillight vampire flick, but a shipboard vampire gothic horror, I welcome that. I’m pleased with the above-par craftsmanship, the likeable characters, the good music, the decent looking Dracula (again it could have been some ugly CGI shit, but there's a Javier Botet creature feature again!). The atmosphere works: the ship, fog, storm, sailors and a dangerous Cargo is simply rewarding. It's nice to that it’s not PG-13, and it's pretty gritty in places, I found it relatively satisfying. I appreciated that the film isn't afraid to break down conventional horror boundaries, like the breaking the rule that women and children are safe, which I applaud. Sure, the scares don't work, but who cares. It's a fun clash between Dracula and the sailors on a ship. Take it or leave it. 7/10. (30/08/2023)