If Your Husband Doesn’t Look at You the Way Dracula Does in the 2025 Movie…
The Most Scandalous and Eccentric Dracula in Cinema History
Is He Even Your Husband?
I saw the scene: Dracula in a tuxedo, his love, a girl walking by, her outfits changing on the fly… And my first thought: “What kind of Dracula is this? Not my type at all!”
I decided this new 2025 film from Luc Besson wasn’t worth my attention.
But the more trailers and clips appeared, the louder the online debate grew: from “absolute nonsense” to “Oh, that look!”
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| Pop art style illustration of Caleb Landry Jones as Count Dracula with a Mina speech bubble created with Gemini AI |
When I saw the Count’s eyes in the latest trailer, the ice in my heart melted.
Here’s my honest, detailed, and very subjective review of “Dracula” (2025), which I’d like to begin with a joke:
“One day, Dracula, a lawyer, a priest, and a psychiatrist meet…”
Dracula’s armor is also too theatrical: a helmet shaped like a dragon’s head, feathers, claws on the gloves… everyone else’s is more Spartan.
The battle scene is relatively simple: they set fire to some barrels and off they go. It’s probably warmer that way, since it’s winter, after all. Otherwise, what good were they? They swung swords one after another; everyone was quickly defeated, and then Dracula learned that his wife needed saving.
Then Dracula loses his temper, becomes cursed, and thus becomes that very vampire. In this version, noone bites him.
The scenes where his eyes are moist, and how he’s shy around Mina, as if she were a snowflake, melted my heart.
This contrast — a brave warrior on the battlefield and a tender, enamored boy — is captivating.
But 400-year-old Dracula in a tailcoat, with his dark hair, his top hat, and his gaze… I’ve probably watched that scene 500 times already…
Elizabeth (Zoe Seidel) — Dracula’s wife. He swears she has the most. She’s a pure soul, but her gait and gaze in the film make her appear arrogant. In her festive attire (a kokoshnik and something resembling a veil as long as Princess Diana’s wedding dress train…), she is far too visible for someone who is supposed to be hiding.
Mina (Zoe Seidel) is the embodiment of Dracula’s wife, the one he’s been waiting to meet for 400 years. She’s well-mannered, not arrogant, but shy. I like her much more, and she looks much better with dark hair. And she looks like Lily Collins.
Jonathan Harker is Mina’s fiancé, a lawyer and an atheist. He talked Dracula into sparing his life.
Maria is a young, 130-year-old vampire and Mina’s girlfriend. She’s a beautiful actress, but I don’t like how she’s portrayed at the beginning of the film: she’s always laughing, sticking her tongue out, and basically acting crazy. Then, when she’s hanging out with Mina, she acts like a fun friend; I really liked her there.
Abraham Van Helsing is nothing like the original character. He works for the church and has come to Paris to sort things out with a vampire. His every line of dialogue is like stand-up comedy. They should be serious, but they feel more like jokes. He arrives on the scene, Mr. Know-It-All, fearless and flashy, casually sipping wine while the world burns.
Dr. Dumont, a doctor from the psychiatric hospital, a pleasant, intelligent man, follows Abraham closely, but doesn’t show off his knowledge. He’s shocked mainly by what’s happening.
Henry Spencer — the vampire, Maria’s husband. A pleasant young man close to the English royal family, well-mannered, and living in an expensive estate. He hasn’t distinguished himself in any way, other than saying he loves his wife very much.
🟡 Dracula’s actions are strange: he suffered for 400 years, searching for his wife, waiting for her to be reborn so he could… say goodbye to Elizabeth. It’s somehow selfish.
🟡 The scene with the traps seems illogical and raises many questions. Where did they get so many traps? Who opened them? Why is it more painful for horses to fall into traps than for people (people don’t act like they’re doing it)? I think if Elizabeth had been pursued, they would have wanted to take her to the Harem, not hunt her like a rabbit.
🟡 I don’t like the mask and hairstyle of the aged Dracula; he has a hammerhead shark on his head.
🟡 By the way, there isn’t a single scene where Dracula flies or moves with supernatural speed. Instead, it’s a bit of a ‘Figaro here, Figaro there’ situation — he just pops up wherever the plot needs him to be.
🟡 The scene with the jumping out of the window. It’s very strange. In the trailer, it looks much cooler; in the film, it’s like a comedy element.
🟡 The gargoyles are strange; I thought they were Dracula’s turned assistants from his army, but there’s an unexpected incarnation, completely incomprehensible…
🟡 Was Dracula on a diet for 400 years? And only decided to hunt before the date?
🟡 The ending is ridiculous; I think it ruins the whole film.
🟡 Why did they only show one turned vampire, and not the others?
The film evokes strong, yet deeply conflicting emotions. However, for the sake of that fairground scene and Caleb’s eyes, so full of longing and tenderness, I can forgive all its script and visual oddities.
I still just wanted Dracula and Mina to stay together…
Here’s my honest, detailed, and very subjective review of “Dracula” (2025), which I’d like to begin with a joke:
“One day, Dracula, a lawyer, a priest, and a psychiatrist meet…”
Film Facts
Director: Luc Besson
Genre: Gothic horror. For me, it’s a drama, a comedy, and an action film.
Country of Production: France
Awards: Nominated for the Golden Leopard Award at the 78th Locarno Film Festival.
Budget: about $40 million.
Vlad Dracula — Caleb Landry Jones lost 15 kg for the filming. He also spent several months practicing a Romanian accent. He even gave interviews in it. I also read that he learned to speak as if he were 400 years old.
When you listen to Caleb’s interview and Dracula’s interview, you hear two completely different people. In this film, he has an incredibly captivating voice, very beautiful; he doesn’t speak, he just… Purrs like a big cat. I could listen to his voice forever…
Genre: Gothic horror. For me, it’s a drama, a comedy, and an action film.
Country of Production: France
Awards: Nominated for the Golden Leopard Award at the 78th Locarno Film Festival.
Budget: about $40 million.
Vlad Dracula — Caleb Landry Jones lost 15 kg for the filming. He also spent several months practicing a Romanian accent. He even gave interviews in it. I also read that he learned to speak as if he were 400 years old.
When you listen to Caleb’s interview and Dracula’s interview, you hear two completely different people. In this film, he has an incredibly captivating voice, very beautiful; he doesn’t speak, he just… Purrs like a big cat. I could listen to his voice forever…
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| GIF from Tenor: Vlad Dracula running in ornate armor across a snowy battlefield in Dracula A Love Tale |
What’s the film about?
The beginning is almost like Dracula 2014 — the Ottoman army is advancing. He needs to fight them, but his love for Elizabeth consumes Dracula, and he doesn’t want to part. Together, they fool around and create 18+ scenes.
Dracula’s armor is also too theatrical: a helmet shaped like a dragon’s head, feathers, claws on the gloves… everyone else’s is more Spartan.
The battle scene is relatively simple: they set fire to some barrels and off they go. It’s probably warmer that way, since it’s winter, after all. Otherwise, what good were they? They swung swords one after another; everyone was quickly defeated, and then Dracula learned that his wife needed saving.
Then Dracula loses his temper, becomes cursed, and thus becomes that very vampire. In this version, noone bites him.
Main Characters
Vlad Dracula (Caleb Landry Jones) — I didn’t like his appearance, but only at first. But! When he’s with Elizabeth, he’s playful, gentle, and happy, like a child. Without her, he becomes crazy, desperate, and… drooling (I don’t know what his trick is, but the drooling just flows; it’s unpleasant).The scenes where his eyes are moist, and how he’s shy around Mina, as if she were a snowflake, melted my heart.
This contrast — a brave warrior on the battlefield and a tender, enamored boy — is captivating.
But 400-year-old Dracula in a tailcoat, with his dark hair, his top hat, and his gaze… I’ve probably watched that scene 500 times already…
 |
| GIF from Tenor: 400-year-old Count Dracula in a top hat and tailcoat looking back during a French ball scene |
Mina (Zoe Seidel) is the embodiment of Dracula’s wife, the one he’s been waiting to meet for 400 years. She’s well-mannered, not arrogant, but shy. I like her much more, and she looks much better with dark hair. And she looks like Lily Collins.
Jonathan Harker is Mina’s fiancé, a lawyer and an atheist. He talked Dracula into sparing his life.
Maria is a young, 130-year-old vampire and Mina’s girlfriend. She’s a beautiful actress, but I don’t like how she’s portrayed at the beginning of the film: she’s always laughing, sticking her tongue out, and basically acting crazy. Then, when she’s hanging out with Mina, she acts like a fun friend; I really liked her there.
Abraham Van Helsing is nothing like the original character. He works for the church and has come to Paris to sort things out with a vampire. His every line of dialogue is like stand-up comedy. They should be serious, but they feel more like jokes. He arrives on the scene, Mr. Know-It-All, fearless and flashy, casually sipping wine while the world burns.
Dr. Dumont, a doctor from the psychiatric hospital, a pleasant, intelligent man, follows Abraham closely, but doesn’t show off his knowledge. He’s shocked mainly by what’s happening.
Henry Spencer — the vampire, Maria’s husband. A pleasant young man close to the English royal family, well-mannered, and living in an expensive estate. He hasn’t distinguished himself in any way, other than saying he loves his wife very much.
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| GIF from Tenor: a close-up of Count Dracula's face with moist eyes and an intense emotional gaze |
What I Loved
The fair scene in France was truly captivating. This is where Vlad shows an entirely different side of himself — not as a monster, but as a man deeply in love. He can’t take his eyes off Mina, and the sheer emotion of that moment is spellbinding.
The Contrast of the Hero
Something is compelling about the way he balances ferocity in battle with such tenderness toward his beloved. That kind of duality is always magnetic. It’s the ultimate romantic fantasy — though, sadly, a combination that rarely exists in reality.What I didn’t like
🟡 Too much CGI: the castle and the gargoyles. Although the director said he did minimal 3D, it’s probably 20–25%, which I think is a lot. Why didn’t they film in the original castle? The budget was 40 million.
🟡 Dracula’s actions are strange: he suffered for 400 years, searching for his wife, waiting for her to be reborn so he could… say goodbye to Elizabeth. It’s somehow selfish.
🟡 The scene with the traps seems illogical and raises many questions. Where did they get so many traps? Who opened them? Why is it more painful for horses to fall into traps than for people (people don’t act like they’re doing it)? I think if Elizabeth had been pursued, they would have wanted to take her to the Harem, not hunt her like a rabbit.
🟡 I don’t like the mask and hairstyle of the aged Dracula; he has a hammerhead shark on his head.
🟡 By the way, there isn’t a single scene where Dracula flies or moves with supernatural speed. Instead, it’s a bit of a ‘Figaro here, Figaro there’ situation — he just pops up wherever the plot needs him to be.
🟡 Mina says she feels like she was born in the wrong era. It’s a fascinating idea, but the movie fails to explore it fully. The moment felt rushed and lacked the depth it deserved.
🟡 The scene with the jumping out of the window. It’s very strange. In the trailer, it looks much cooler; in the film, it’s like a comedy element.
🟡 The gargoyles are strange; I thought they were Dracula’s turned assistants from his army, but there’s an unexpected incarnation, completely incomprehensible…
🟡 Was Dracula on a diet for 400 years? And only decided to hunt before the date?
🟡 The ending is ridiculous; I think it ruins the whole film.
🟡 Why did they only show one turned vampire, and not the others?
They stole the plot
Then there’s the whole subplot about perfume. If it’s not a direct copy of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, then what is? The fragrance produced almost the same effect in that Florentine house. It begs the question: why would Dracula even need a perfume if he’s naturally supposed to be magnetic?Also, the ball scene in France gave me major déjà vu — it felt like a carbon copy of the Johnny Depp film about the King’s mistress, Jeanne du Barry.
My impressions
This is undoubtedly the most loving and tender, yet the strangest Dracula of them all. If you’re expecting classic Gothic horror, you might be disappointed. But if you want a mad, passionate drama with comedic undertones and Luc Besson’s signature vision — featuring a vampire who seems to love only himself and his own sorrow — then this is for you.The film evokes strong, yet deeply conflicting emotions. However, for the sake of that fairground scene and Caleb’s eyes, so full of longing and tenderness, I can forgive all its script and visual oddities.
I still just wanted Dracula and Mina to stay together…
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Insider Tip: if you, just like me, can't stop rewatching that breathtaking ballroom scene and fell in love with Caleb Landry Jones's haunting gaze, you can actually bring a piece of this gothic romance into your daily life. Check out the officialDracula 2025 Movie Merchandise on Amazon
Insider Tip: if you, just like me, can't stop rewatching that breathtaking ballroom scene and fell in love with Caleb Landry Jones's haunting gaze, you can actually bring a piece of this gothic romance into your daily life. Check out the official
While the world is torn between calling this the most captivating or the most repulsive Dracula ever made, I’m focused on creating undeniably charming things. Whether you loved the film or hated it, maybe you’ll find something here that’s just your type or something useful here? 🦝
Which year’s Dracula is your personal favorite? Have you seen this 2025 release yet? What turned you off, and what captivated you the most?
Which year’s Dracula is your personal favorite? Have you seen this 2025 release yet? What turned you off, and what captivated you the most?
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