In the saturated cinematic world of bloodsuckers, it’s crucial to carve a niche that helps a film stand out from its predecessors. André Øvredal’s The Last Voyage of the Demeter does this with a visual palette drenched in melancholic grays and blues that effectively create atmosphere. However, the film falls prey to predictability. Written by Bragi F. Schut and Zak Olkewicz and starring Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, David Dastmalchian, Woody Norman, and Liam Cunningham, it’s no secret that Universal is desperate to get its monster cinematic universe off the ground, but they haven’t had much luck. After watching the movie, it’s clear the studio will have to continue its search for success.
The Last Voyage begins in Whitby, England in 1897, where the Demeter is shipwrecked and desolate. The local police discover the wreckage but are too spooked to continue their investigation. The film then backtracks to four weeks earlier in Romania, where the Demeter is docked and looking for crew members to help transport cargo to London. Clemens, a Cambridge-educated man played by Hawkins, saves Captain Eliot’s grandson Toby from a dangerous situation and is invited on board to work. The ship is filled with boxes of cargo, all labeled with ominous dragon crest symbols that unsettle the local Romanians who can’t wait for the ship to leave their shores.
On the Demeter, things initially run smoothly until Anna, played by Franciosi, is discovered as a stowaway within the cargo. She’s on the verge of death and receives a blood transfusion to save her life. While Anna is unconscious, chaos ensues as the animals on board are killed through blood drainage. The crew members turn on each other, blaming one another for the incident, and one isolated member is confronted by Dracula himself. As they uncover the true nature of their situation and their chances of survival dwindle, they must decide whether to abandon ship or stop the creature before it reaches its destination.
Øvredal’s directorial eye is commendable, as he achieves atmospheric tension in the claustrophobic bowels of the Demeter, reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s iconic Alien. The small crew, tight quarters, and isolation against the vastness of space highlight the vulnerability of humans against nature, much like in Alien. However, the screenplay fails to offer anything refreshing, making each move by Dracula predictable and diminishing his terror.
The film not only borrows atmospheric notes from iconic predecessors but also takes inspiration from the Nosferatu look-book for its creature design. Practical effects with actor Javier Botet as Dracula fare better than obvious VFX, which sometimes ruin the moments of terror by reminding the audience of the artificiality on screen.
The cast prevents the film from sinking into cinematic oblivion. Hawkins delivers a memorable performance as Clemens, anchoring the narrative and providing a much-needed pulse to the story. Anna showcases intelligence, proving that the characters could have been more than just lambs for the slaughter if given a stronger script.
In essence, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is an atmospheric journey that promises much but delivers little. There are moments of brilliance, especially in its practical character design and occasional spine-chilling scenes, but it feels longer than it actually is. Universal’s ongoing quest to discover the perfect concoction of horror, intrigue, and storytelling continues as they search for that elusive success.
Title: The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Distributor: Universal
Release date: Friday, August 11
Director: André Øvredal
Screenwriters: Bragi Schut Jr, Zak Olkewicz
Cast: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, Woody Norman, David Dastmalchian, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapicic, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Javier Botet
Rating: R
Running time: 1 hr 58 min
