The crew and captain of the merchant ship Demeter attempt to survive the treacherous ocean voyage from Transylvania to London while being stalked by the legendary vampire known as Dracula.
An adaptation of “The Captain’s Log” from Dracula by Bram Stoker ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ offers old-school horror vibes from director André Øvredal. With cinematography by Tom Stern, it oozes ominous chills (like a chapter from ‘Blood Hunger’), complemented by an effective score by Bear McCreary. The detailed sets and practical effects are impressive, selling the blood-curdling ship shenanigans. The digital effects are a mixed bag, but the effective sound design picks up the slack.
Opening in Transylvania, it soon becomes a claustrophobic ‘Alien’ (1979) affair, mixed with a classic monster movie as the crew is picked off one by one in bloodshed fashion on the stormy high seas. The whole cast sell the dread, undead vampiric infections with notable performances by Corey Hawkins and reliable Liam Cunningham. Writers Bragi Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz give Cunningham’s Captain Elliot a voiceover that echoes Bram Stoker; but it is as useful as Harrison Ford’s V. O in Blade Runner.
Overall, it may be a formulaic screenplay, but small cast ensemble, the suspenseful setups and the change of setting in this oft-told Dracula tale make it worth viewing alone.
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