BONUS: 'Dracula Untold' [2014]
Sometimes touted as the unofficial start of Universal's Dark Universe franchise, 'Dracula Untold' sees Luke Evans play Vlad the Impaler in this historical-fantasy-horror hybrid.
Vlad is being harassed by the Turks. In an attempt to become superhuman, he seeks the consul of a strange pale figure in the caves. On drinking his blood, Vlad has three days of magical powers to defeat the Turks and abstain from consuming human blood or become an immortal monster.
Tonally, 'Dracula Untold' feels very much like 'Dark Prince' [2000], which I've reviewed previously. It takes the legend of Vlad and adds a nonsensical fairy-tale element with the 'Three Days to Break the Curse' plot device. Thus, the film becomes one of suspense. There's little doubt that Vlad will succumb and become Dracula, but it teases the how and why. Evans is good in the lead role, although the writers aren't entirely sure what his character should be. He veers from Hitler to Chamberlain back to Hitler again throughout the film. I suspect they were trying for 'tragic hero' and they come close. But he's not the villain. Charles Dance has that role and sinks his teeth into it (I'm sorry...). Sarah Gadon plays Vlad's wife with parental vigor, and the atmosphere is appropriately dark and moody.
If this was supposed to be Drac's backstory for the abandoned multi-verse - the final contemporary scene suggesting that it was - then it's a strange one. Was Dracula to become a villain later or continue to be the misunderstood loner-hero that's portrayed here? It also comes across as too cerebral to be any way connected to the silly 'Mummy' film that Cruise screwed up three years later. On its own, I enjoyed it, although it doesn't really do anything particularly special, to be honest. Not at all as I expected, though and, after the appalling 'Mummy [2017]', it was a pleasant surprise.