Like zombie motion pictures, we go into vampire motion pictures with just a little little bit of trepidation. Not as a result of we’re scared, however as a result of there’s little or no that hasn’t been proven or stated about vampires already. We’ve had twinkly vampires, superhero vampires, vitality vampires, younger vampires and completely historical vampires. It doesn’t matter what spin or perspective you set in your vampire film, it’s doubtless we’ve seen it, or one thing prefer it.
Renfield begins off on a powerful foot by making Nicolas Cage its Dracula. Even when it’s going to be a rote vamp movie, it’s going to be a rote vamp movie with Nicolas Cage because the vampire, and meaning – doubtless very literal – surroundings chewing. When he’s given some substance to work with, Mr Cage has been proven to be fully compelling (see Mandy, Pig, Color Out of Area), and Renfield isn’t wanting substance.
However whereas Renfield has the trump card of Nicolas Cage as Dracula, it doesn’t have to overplay it. As a result of it has one thing higher: an idea that feels contemporary, and a Zombieland-like tongue in its cheek.
Renfield’s focus isn’t Dracula: it’s the titular Renfield, performed by Nicholas Hoult. He’s Dracula’s acquainted, the one who has to search out the purest victims for his grasp, and has to mop up the mess afterwards. When vampire hunters discover Dracula, he stays to the facet, waits for Dracula to win, then nurses him again to well being, even perhaps relocating the lair in order that Drac doesn’t turn into uncovered once more. He’s a handyman, nanny and butler, rolled into one, and Dracula doesn’t respect him for it one bit.
Renfield has nice enjoyable doing a little world-building round familiars. In its universe, familiars dwell so long as their masters, so they’re indentured servants for hundreds of years. Additionally they carry a fraction of the facility of a vampire: by consuming bugs (no people for Renfield), they achieve a second of superhero power, earlier than snapping again to being ineffective. Renfield carries a matchbox with beetles and centipedes in, simply in case he will get into hassle.
But it surely has better enjoyable rooting the connection between Renfield and Dracula within the modern-day. It’s a clearly poisonous relationship, so Renfield begins to go to conferences for equally abused, gaslit and co-dependent companions. He’s taught that Dracula is a narcissist, and he ought to finish the connection as quickly as doable. However that’s tough when you may have a psychic hyperlink that places you involved with Nicolas Cage always.
Nonetheless, Renfield makes an attempt to sever that centuries-long connection and forge a life for himself. It goes about in addition to you’d anticipate, and the ensuing slow-motion automotive crash of a break-up turns into a singularity that draws gang members, corrupt police and the ‘co-dependents nameless’ themselves. Renfield has surprisingly weighty themes of ending imbalance relationships and having the power to strike out alone.
This plot unravels in a surprisingly humorous trend. Our touchstone was consistently Zombieland, as that film did for zombies what Renfield does for vampires. There’s a reinvention of the style in there, in addition to a wink and a nudge to the digicam. Nicholas Hoult’s narration is very like Jesse Eisenberg’s in Zombieland, as the cruel realities of being a well-known is laid out matter of factly. They might make for a fantastic double-bill.
You most likely received’t anticipate how gory and lurid Renfield is, nevertheless. Arms and heads are lopped off in unbelievable fountains of blood. The characters themselves appear to be stunned by simply how grisly every thing goes down. Renfield finds power he doesn’t know he has, and finally ends up killing individuals in more and more ludicrous methods. So, be cautious: whereas we discovered it hilarious, you’ve acquired to be okay with some giblets dangling off the body of the display screen.
A observe to the battle choreography. Renfield is a surprisingly action-packed film, and whereas the motion is commonly performed for laughs, the creators at all times make it possible for – as a baseline – it will get the adrenaline pumping. Sequences final far longer than you may anticipate, virtually to John Wick ranges, and it completely holds up as an motion rollercoaster.
But it surely’s not good by any means. The author and director discovered some issues extra attention-grabbing than we did. A romantic subplot with Awkafinwa enjoying Rebecca, a straight-as-an-arrow cop, by no means manages to really feel plausible or significantly attention-grabbing. Nicholas Hoult seems like he’s doing a Hugh Grant impression, which may be very doable since they shared a lot display screen time in About A Boy. And you might properly emerge feeling that Nicolas Cage was criminally underused. He’s having so, a lot enjoyable right here, however he’s hidden away or rejuvenating for big chunks of the movie, and the tempo lifts at any time when he’s on display screen.
Bored of vampire motion pictures? Renfield is simply the tonic. It shakes up the formulation till it froths over with gore, motion set items and scrumptious subversion. Plus you get Nicolas Cage as Dracula. It may not be probably the most cerebral of flicks, however Renfield manages to make a vampire film that feels unfamiliar by – mockingly – specializing in familiars.
