Major spoilers ahead - you've been warned
pros: The film is beautifully faithful to the original novel - with some changes, i.e., Quincey dies in the raid of Carfax, and Mina is the Killer of Dracula – which I personally love, her line afterwards is beautiful – the film is set in Modern Day and seems to carry some Religious overtones; which, is why Mina kills the Count – she is intent on saving the world, the overall theme of the film. There is absolutely *no love*between Mina and the Count, as Stoker never once included a reincarnation plot, Mina loves Jonathan and loathes the count – thank Palance's film for the reincarnated love story, which in my opinion belongs nowhere near the story, unless it's Mina and Jonathan. The modern setting does not hinder the film, it actually pokes fun at horror tales, referencing that Dracula might have been played by Boris Karloff in their universe. The characters are fun, I will never say that they are great, the script works against them, but they are fun: Mina challenges the Count at every step she has with him, Jonathan is a conflicted soul, Quincey is vapid, Arthur is whiny, and Lucy is so much fun – she has so much fun playing the coquette. Van Helsing "Enrico Valenzi as he's called in this" is the ever-knowing Vampire Hunter, and he's good at it.
Bergen as Dracula is miscast, however, he plays his part well – both as the old man - with his homoerotic tones towards Jonathan - and as the younger 'Nephew' in the Budapest scenes. Overall this film is beautiful for what it has to work with; it's not much, don't go in expecting any award winning material, it is fun however to watch, and I am grateful I got that chance. Cons: The film is made on a MFT budget, which is neither here nor there, however it shows in the effects, lack of nudity, and special effects – but, ask yourself: are all the gratuitousness necessary in retrospect - although I would not have minded a butt-shot of Hardy Kruger Jr. or a bit more erotic evil in the case of Muriel Bauermeister. There is an original 3-hour film, which is not available to American Audiences and probably clears the air with some unfinished plot holes "Reonfield's Wife, Reonfield himself, the Weird Sisters "the Brides of Dracula" – so the diced film works against it.
overall view: personally I give it 10/10 because I have seen so much worse when it comes to Dracula adaptions, and this one, by comparison is the Oscar-Winner, Academy-Winner, and others, simply by comparison. Steffania Rocca and Muriel Bauermeister are GORGEOUS as Mina and Lucy Hardy Kruger Jr. and Kai Weisinger are delightful as Harker and Seward. Hardy Kruger Jr. is such a hunk. Bergen - although miscast - and Giannini are nicely done in their roles.
However, I suggest you make your own interpretations of this film, and if I must give an unbiased review, then I saw 7/10
the budget, sets, effects, and script work against it, as does the dicing and unfinished plot lines – that's it, really.
pros: The film is beautifully faithful to the original novel - with some changes, i.e., Quincey dies in the raid of Carfax, and Mina is the Killer of Dracula – which I personally love, her line afterwards is beautiful – the film is set in Modern Day and seems to carry some Religious overtones; which, is why Mina kills the Count – she is intent on saving the world, the overall theme of the film. There is absolutely *no love*between Mina and the Count, as Stoker never once included a reincarnation plot, Mina loves Jonathan and loathes the count – thank Palance's film for the reincarnated love story, which in my opinion belongs nowhere near the story, unless it's Mina and Jonathan. The modern setting does not hinder the film, it actually pokes fun at horror tales, referencing that Dracula might have been played by Boris Karloff in their universe. The characters are fun, I will never say that they are great, the script works against them, but they are fun: Mina challenges the Count at every step she has with him, Jonathan is a conflicted soul, Quincey is vapid, Arthur is whiny, and Lucy is so much fun – she has so much fun playing the coquette. Van Helsing "Enrico Valenzi as he's called in this" is the ever-knowing Vampire Hunter, and he's good at it.
Bergen as Dracula is miscast, however, he plays his part well – both as the old man - with his homoerotic tones towards Jonathan - and as the younger 'Nephew' in the Budapest scenes. Overall this film is beautiful for what it has to work with; it's not much, don't go in expecting any award winning material, it is fun however to watch, and I am grateful I got that chance. Cons: The film is made on a MFT budget, which is neither here nor there, however it shows in the effects, lack of nudity, and special effects – but, ask yourself: are all the gratuitousness necessary in retrospect - although I would not have minded a butt-shot of Hardy Kruger Jr. or a bit more erotic evil in the case of Muriel Bauermeister. There is an original 3-hour film, which is not available to American Audiences and probably clears the air with some unfinished plot holes "Reonfield's Wife, Reonfield himself, the Weird Sisters "the Brides of Dracula" – so the diced film works against it.
overall view: personally I give it 10/10 because I have seen so much worse when it comes to Dracula adaptions, and this one, by comparison is the Oscar-Winner, Academy-Winner, and others, simply by comparison. Steffania Rocca and Muriel Bauermeister are GORGEOUS as Mina and Lucy Hardy Kruger Jr. and Kai Weisinger are delightful as Harker and Seward. Hardy Kruger Jr. is such a hunk. Bergen - although miscast - and Giannini are nicely done in their roles.
However, I suggest you make your own interpretations of this film, and if I must give an unbiased review, then I saw 7/10
the budget, sets, effects, and script work against it, as does the dicing and unfinished plot lines – that's it, really.