Luc Besson Reimagines Dracula as a Lovelorn Hero in Latest Flick

From off-the-wall drag queen thriller, Dogman, Luc Besson flexes his genre-bending muscle as he playfully returns to the frightening world of bloodthirsty creatures, shedding new light on no other than Count Dracula. Interestingly, this Dracula may not be as thirsty as we'd expect with blood playing second fiddle to romance in this surprisingly tender take on the classic tale.

We've always known that Besson, the mastermind behind explosive 90s action sagas like La Femme Nikita and Léon: The Professional and cunning boffin of highly cash-able franchises like Taken and Transporter, has a penchant for romance between the bullets and car chases. The 66-year-old director, whose fondness for cheese out-Frenches his nationality, finds a vegan-friendly alternative in a potsy medley of love-struck vampires, decapitated heads and an extravagant display of kitsch.

Caleb Landry Jones (always a pleasure to watch), delivering a solid and earnest performance as the romantic Count, manages to steal the show amid the director's hallmark eccentricities. These include remarkable touches like a snow-filled vampire battlefield beset with explosive bear traps and quirky elements like pixelated gargoyles, high-society dancers, and naughty convent sisters, that spice up the narrative and lend the film its infectious goofiness.

Befitting the passionate saga, we are introduced to a lusty Prince Vlad, otherwise known as Count Dracula, tracing his love journey from a 1480 affair with Princess Elisabeta (played by Zoë Bleu) which got unexpectedly interrupted due to a battle. A vengeance-filled Dracula, hell-bent on resurrecting his lover after her death, certainly isn't plucked straight from Stoker's novel.

Adapting to time and place, we skip across centuries to find ourselves in Paris, 1889. Christoph Waltz brings to town his impeccable snarkiness as a priest-cum-vampire hunter with the mission to prevent a femme fatale vampire (Matilda de Angelis), from wreaking havoc. Into this madness walks Dracula, the scent of his homemade perfume captivating every female around him.

We’ll spare you the details of Dracula's reconnection with his beloved Elisabeta, who now goes by Mina and is engaged to an unsuspecting lawyer (Ewens Abid). The focus here is mostly the emotional journey crafted beautifully by Jones with some seriously impressive, decidedly over-the-top costuming. From medieval battle outfits to puffy shirts fit for a soiree, this Dracula's wardrobe is certainly not dull.

Besson might be serving us something on the sillier side, but his genuine audacity in presenting such a heartfelt representation of Dracula deserves a little applause. His fangs may be slightly dulled and his approach, a nod to the mushy tropes of gothic romance, but at least it’s not the same old blood-soaked tale.

References to Guillermo del Toro's recent poignant rendition of Frankenstein and Coppola’s dark and eerie version of Dracula are inevitable. Besson’s kitschy romance may not follow the same fate. Yet, examining his diverse and prolific career, showcasing over a hundred credits in four decades, it's clear that Besson is not afraid to step outside the cinematic coffin, an admirable trait that continues to keep his audience captivated.