Written by George Wright, Media by Jack Wang
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If you are tired of Twilight and its rip offs, then this movie is for you. Dracula Untold combines historical fiction and the Dracula lore that we all love.
Plot
Dracula Untold opens up with a narration that tells the audience of the Turkish wars and how the young Prince Vlad Dracu was a slave to the Turkish sultan. The Turkish army took young boys to be slaves for the Turkish army and to train them to be warriors for them. The audience learns that Vlad Dracu was the fiercest warrior of them all and how he used to impale his victims on long wooden stakes, which is how he got the nickname Vlad the Impaler. Years go by and Vlad is sent home to rule his kingdom. Vlad has a family and is considered to be a great king by his people. Vlad is still haunted by his past. When the Turkish king demands a 1,000 men and boys to be taken for the Turkish army, Vlad kills an emissary and this starts a war among Vlad and the Turkish king. Turkey declares war on Vlad and his kingdom. Vlad is in desperate need for help; he goes to the mountains to track down a mythical beast. The beast turns out to be a vampire. The vampire tells Vlad he will make him the ultimate warrior, but it comes at a price. Vlad turns into vampire and helps defend his kingdom. In the end, Vlad has to make the ultimate choice.
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Cast
Luke Evas as Vlad Dracu
Sarah Gadon as Mirena
Dominic Cooper as Mehmed
Art Parkinson as Ingeras
Charles Dance as Master Vampire
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Why should I see it?
For those of you who hate the Twilight series, then this movie is for you. Dracula Untold is Gladiator meets Dracula. The movie is not as gory as one might think. Director Gary Shore leaves out the gratuitous violence that comes with a typical Dracula movie, in its place, Shore gives the audience suspense. The actors and actresses in the movie do a wonderful job. The standout performer in this movie is Luke Evans. Evans shows a wide range of emotions and gives Vlad a sense of humanity that is often lacking in Dracula movie. This version of the Dracula story portrays Vlad as a family man and king whose sense of loyalty and family stand above his own life. Evans shows that Prince Vlad is not some monster, but a man who will do anything to protect those he loves. Cinematographer John Schwartzman’s camera work is sure to give him a nomination when it comes to the award season. Dracula Untold is not just a movie for men; women can find something in this movie that speaks to them as well. I give Dracula Untold a B plus.
What is in it for a Christian audience?
For a Christian, Dracula Untold might not seem like a movie that portrays Christian themes. However, they’re wrong. This movie combines Christian themes such as: loyalty, faith, family, and love. In this film, Prince Vlad Dracu pays the ultimate price to keep his family alive and together. His love for his family and the people of his kingdom fuels him to fight.
Though you contrast this with the Twilight series, we can still see that today is the era of “vampire, the family man” whereas a few decades ago it was “vampire the bloodless monster” etc. To recycle them, a bit like with each Bond movie, you have to put a different touch on each genre.