The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

[Alex...]

Title: The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

Genre: Horror

Director: André Øvredal

Cast: David Dastmalchian, Javier Botet, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, Corey Hawkins, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Stefan Kapičić, Jon Jon Briones, Nicolo Pasetti, Adam Shaw, Sally Reeve, Graham Turner, Christopher York, Love Yonk, Luke D'Agostino, Woody Norman, Chris Walley, Martin Furulund, Danny Maász

Release: 2023-08-09

Plot: The merchant ship Demeter is chartered to carry fifty unmarked wooden crates from Carpathia to London, only for its doomed crew to find themselves stalked each night by a shadowy presence onboard.

 

[Alex...]

 

[Malcolm R]

Looks pretty good, though I'm hesitant to get excited about this one after the disappointment of Renfield. I'm also wondering how they'll expand the story and if they'll tack on a Hollywood ending. Given how many rewrites and delays this has had (in development hell for nearly 20 years), my expectations will be tempered.

But the middle episode of the BBC's Dracula mini-series also centers on the voyage of the Demeter and that was pretty good. The voyage is just a single chapter in Bram Stoker's original novel, so there's a lot of room for interpretation when expanding to feature-length. The tricky part is crafting the ending here, as everyone familiar with the novel and most film adaptations knows what comes after the voyage.

 

[Joe Wong]

Looks pretty good, though I'm hesitant to get excited about this one after the disappointment of Renfield. I'm also wondering how they'll expand the story and if they'll tack on a Hollywood ending. Given how many rewrites and delays this has had (in development hell for nearly 20 years), my expectations will be tempered.

But the middle episode of the BBC's Dracula mini-series also centers on the voyage of the Demeter and that was pretty good. The voyage is just a single chapter in Bram Stoker's original novel, so there's a lot of room for interpretation when expanding to feature-length. The tricky part is crafting the ending here, as everyone familiar with the novel and most film adaptations knows what comes after the voyage.

Agreed, looks pretty good. Good Gothic atmosphere.

Spoiler

If this is a standalone film/story, they could have their Hollywood ending by ultimately showing that Dracula is overcome by the remaining crew members (1 or 2 left), but then hint that Dracula has somehow survived and made it to Whitby, England.

 

[jayembee]

So...at about the 45-second mark, the kid introduces (presumably) the dog: "This here is Huckleberry."

Huckleberry Hound?

Looks like it could be quite good, but it seems more like something I'd just as soon wait for on disc.

 

[Alex...]

First look at Dracula via Fangoria mag

 

[Malcolm R]

Agreed, looks pretty good. Good Gothic atmosphere.

Spoiler

If this is a standalone film/story, they could have their Hollywood ending by ultimately showing that Dracula is overcome by the remaining crew members (1 or 2 left), but then hint that Dracula has somehow survived and made it to Whitby, England.

That's kinda/sorta what the BBC did with their interpretation.

Spoiler

The remaining crew sinks The Demeter hoping to destroy Dracula, but he survives in his coffin under the water and emerges many years later after being awakened by a dumbass exploring the wreckage.

 

[Alex...]

Featurette

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Yup. I thought the trailer looked pretty good. And the movie worked. A big better than I expected. Solid cast, well made, meat and potatoes, throwback horror film.

 

[Tino]

I really liked this too. A solid gothic era thriller with genuine scares in a great setting. Refreshingly gory and scary with great atmosphere.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Figured some folks would watch this as part of their October viewing. I thought this was a good solid monster movie and I liked that the vampire they come up with for this film is a pretty creepy giant bat like monster. I also enjoyed that this is a period film, not an attempt to update things.

Essentially, this is what I expected the story to be, Alien but rather than space, we are out at sea. It is probably one of the better vampire movies we've got in many years. The actors are all quite good, the film has plenty of stylish gothic atmosphere, it is a classic story, the director has a nice feel for the material, and the monster looks very cool and delivers the creeps you want in a horror picture.

Obviously, if you know Bram Stoker's Dracula tale, you will have a pretty good idea where this is going to go and the note the film ends on leaves open doing the next part of the story. I would prefer this sort of take on the "classic monster" tales and this is a solid entry in that genre.

 

[Tino]

and I liked that the vampire they come up with for this film is a pretty creepy giant bat like monster.

As in….DRACULA.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

As in….DRACULA.

Yeah, basically I mean there have been many portrayals of vampires and Dracula (and this vampire is Dracula as this is part of that story) but he is portrayed more as an animal here than any kind of human that is smooth and seductive. I think they only give Dracula one line in this picture if I remember correctly, and I think it is just two words.

This film was definitely influenced by Alien, which is kind of interesting. The way they use the monster here is basically just like how they used the monster in Alien. It works and I think the makers of this film understood what made Alien work more than the makers of any of the films that were sequels or prequels to Alien.

I would watch another film about this Dracula made by these filmmakers as I like this kind of period gothic horror and they do that well in this picture.

 

[MusicLover95]

The trailer did look pretty interesting. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet since it's been so busy with work lately. I'm thinking this movie might be the perfect film to save for a Halloween movie marathon!

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

The trailer did look pretty interesting. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet since it's been so busy with work lately. I'm thinking this movie might be the perfect film to save for a Halloween movie marathon!

I'm a sucker for period gothic horror films. This fits the bill. I also enjoy films that take place on a ship, at sea or in space doesn't matter, and putting a crew in this limited space where they must face off against something horrible. I also appreciate a good monster and I liked the monster created for this film. So, if those kind of things appeal to you, I think you will enjoy this. It's moody, creepy, has plenty of atmosphere, looks good, is well acted, and has a good monster. I think that adds up to a worthwhile horror film.

 

[Malcolm R]

I'm a sucker for period gothic horror films. This fits the bill. I also enjoy films that take place on a ship, at sea or in space doesn't matter, and putting a crew in this limited space where they must face off against something horrible. I also appreciate a good monster and I liked the monster created for this film. So, if those kind of things appeal to you, I think you will enjoy this. It's moody, creepy, has plenty of atmosphere, looks good, is well acted, and has a good monster. I think that adds up to a worthwhile horror film.

As noted previously, if you have Netflix you can also watch the BBC's recent Dracula miniseries. The middle "episode" (basically a 90-min movie) is the voyage of the Demeter. The whole series is worth a watch, IMO (three 90-min episodes). It has the familiar trappings of the original story (not intended to be a faithful adaptation), but goes in new directions.

 

[Tino]

As in….DRACULA.

@John Sparks curious as to what you disagree with in this post? I merely stated that the vampire in this film is actually Dracula as has been stated up front.

 

[jayembee]

I don't want to put words into John's mouth, but I suspect he interpreted what you said as saying that Dracula has previously been portrayed as "a pretty creepy giant bat like monster". Certainly some of the portrayals of Dracula (or other vampires) have gone for the "creepy" part, as in Nosferatu. But Dracula was never portrayed as "giant bat like" before.

My wife had the same reaction. She doesn't like horror movies, so has no interest in seeing this, but I made an off-hand reference to this movie the other night, and she asked me what it was about. She was surprised when I mentioned how the film portrays Dracula, because she's used to the idea of Dracula (and other vampires) looking generally like normal humans (but with fangs).

 

[Malcolm R]

Briefly, in Bram Stoker's Dracula:

 

[jayembee]

You're right. Forgot about that one.