‘Renfield’ Movie Review

Renfield is a horror-comedy that follows a present-day Robert Montague Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) as he attempts to break free from his master, the one and only Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage). But he’s going to need more than just his support group to stop the legendary vampire when they become tangled up in an ongoing battle between traffic cop Rebecca Quincey (Awkwafina) and hapless mobster Teddy Lobo (Ben Schwartz).

So right out of the gate, we are greeted with a sort of “how they met” montage using footage from the 1931 Universal Dracula with Cage and Hoult composited on Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye. This sets the tone right away for the kind of lunacy in store. Renfield is just a damn fun movie. There are a couple areas where I feel like it could have been improved, but I’ll get to that later. One of my favorite things about it is how it explores and celebrates the Dracula character and mythos. In addition to the use of older film featuring the newer faces, the movie is littered with nods to both the 1931 classic and Bram Stoker's novel. These come in the form of everything from set dressings to the names of certain secondary characters. Renfield also resurrects a key aspect of the Dracula character that far too many adaptations have forgone, often intentionally: Dracula is pure evil and always has been. He was never intended to be sexy or sympathetic or even attractive. He's literally from Hell. Various adaptations have tried to make him a tragic character, often lovelorn and/or misunderstood, but this is in direct contrast to Stoker's original vision. I'm all for trying new angles, but when the new angle becomes the norm, it's just annoying. Not only is this version of the count truly a monster, but in keeping with the themes of this film, he is a master emotional manipulator. The movies really delves into the subject of codependency and abusive relationships with a commendable degree of sincerity, and it’s handled surprisingly well. Dracula in this film is sort of the twisted personification of this very real issue, and this use of allegory packs an unexpectedly powerful punch.

The casting of Nicholas Hoult as the titular character was rather inspired, despite him not being the most obvious choice. He strikes just the right balance of comedy and heart, and he’s brilliant in both modes. You can tell he took plenty of cues from Dwight Frye, even doing the signature Renfield laugh at one point, but it never feels like a cheap impression on a sketch show. It feels natural and sincere. But let’s be honest, we’re mostly here for one particular cast member, and that is the man himself, Nicolas Cage in the role of Dracula. Cage has said that for his entire career, one of his dreams was to one day play Dracula, and he’s pretty much f*cking perfect. It’s so obvious he’s been waiting his whole life to play this character, and he’s both hilarious and genuinely frightening, sometimes at the exact same time! The original Nosferatu was highly influential on him as a kid, and his physical acting throughout his whole filmography clearly reflects that (pun somewhat intended), but Renfield feels like the culmination of it. I highly recommend looking up some of the interviews with Cage where he talks about his take on the character and where he drew a lot of his inspiration. I know that the Academy Awards rarely pay the horror genre any attention, but this is truly Best Supporting Actor material.

Now the other two major characters, Rebecca Quincey and Teddy Lobo, are our eventual mortal allies for our hero and villain, respectively. One of the major complaints I’ve seen about this movie is that whenever the focus is on them, the film is significantly less interesting. While it didn't stop me from really enjoying the movie, I do have to agree, to an extent. This doesn't mean, however, that they are objectively bad characters. I normally don't care for Awkwafina, particularly when she is desperately trying to be funny, but when she isn't, it's not hard to see glimpses of a truly gifted performer. Thankfully, she gives a somewhat more subdued performance as Officer Quincey. Much like in Marvel's Shang-Chi, her role in Renfield is to be the "normal friend" being thrust into the fantastical world of the film, and she does this well. Ben Schwartz gets to do his usual goofy shtick here, which typically works, and he doesn't stray too far from his wheelhouse. The fault in these two characters isn't the result of poor acting or poor writing. It's simply the fact that, when your other primary characters are two of the most important figures in the history of the horror genre, it's hard to be invested in those who are ostensibly just "the other two", and this is honestly nobody's fault.

In a film that has to balance comedy, horror, and action, it's imperative that said movie be good at all three, and Renfield is. While it only has a handful of moments that are legitimately scary, it has a great understanding of the genre and never seems to abandon it. The action sequences are wonderfully bombastic and creatively choreographed. And oh yeah, the blood is as plentiful as could be. Most of it is done practically, and while some of the digital effects are a little lackluster, the practical ones are terrific. This also goes right along with the comedy, which is at its best when it’s at its most gruesome. I think some of the quippier humor was a little bit more hit-or-miss, but the hits outweigh the misses, in my opinion.

Renfield is both a gory good time and a wonderful love letter to the Dracula mythos. Nicolas Cage is downright transcendent in the role of Dracula, chewing every bit of scenery he can fit between his fangs, and Nicholas Hoult brings heart and humanity to the titular familiar. It may not be as consistently spectacular as one might hope, but there’s a whole lot to love about this entertaining sendup.

SCORE: 4.5/5

TRIGGER WARNING: domestic abuse allegory