New Delhi:
Going by the character, ‘Dracula’, has always sent shivers down my spine yet evoked something mysterious, magnificent and magical in its existence! And, in Gary Shore's 'Dracula Untold' the world’s favourite bloodsucker has finally evolved as a superhero. A shiny ‘king’ in armour, this Dracula can anytime give fits to Robert Pattinson, too!
'Dracula Untold' is supposed to be the untold story of the famous literary vampire; it preludes to all the Dracula films that you have seen till date, the ones you have grown up with.
With a Jesus glow, Luke Evans plays Vlad the Impaler as an action-film hunk exemplifying ‘No man is born a monster’.
The narration unfolds how Prince Vlad, the undisputed hunk of Transylvania, spent his childhood and youth serving the Turkish Army. After winning several wars, Vlad, the King, is finally allowed to return home and settles for a domestic life with his beautiful wife Mirena (Sarah Gadon) and son Ingeras (Art Parkinson).
But destiny has something else in store for him as the evil Ottoman sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper) demands 1000 Transylvanian boys including his son.
A fighter, Vlad’s desperation to save his family and country takes him on a new journey to Broken Tooth Mountain where a bloodthirsty skeletal demon (Charles Dance) awaits ‘The impaler’ to be freed from his own dark soul.
Choosing to remain undead, Vlad decides to challenge the demon by spending the requisite three days between Crucifixion and Resurrection.
As the demon recalls, “Let the games beginâ€, true to the word, what you see next is Vlad’s battle with the evil forces within him and outside.
Strengths and weaknesses
‘Fast and Furious 6’ actor Luke Evans is enigmatic, horrific and dashing in the same breath. All the supporting actors have done a fair job to fit the bill perfectly, too.
The cinematography is unique, costumes and prosthetic make-up are worth a watch but the graphics loosen the script a little and seem more like an impressive video game clip especially where the bats take on the Turkish army.
The one scene which stands out is Vlad’s battle with the Turkish King Mehmet on a heap of silver coins. It is theatrical yet impressive.
Verdict
You will be shocked to learn that ‘Dracula Untold’ is not at all a horror story. Director Gary Shore's interpretation of Dracula transforms Vlad from a humane to tragic entity i.e. ‘Son of the Dragon to Son of Devil!’ Even his transformation into vampire isn’t an act of infernal craving. It’s what he did for love.
Overall, this Dracula looks great with his shirt off and you would not mind giving him a three-day trial, in a dark cave of course!
Watch it if you have a fetish for sexy Draculas.
