DRACULA UNTOLD

(2014) 92 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Bean's Review: Different perception of the creation of Dracula.  Luke Evans portrays Vlad, who then becomes Dracula and performs the part quite well.  Dracula is portrayed as a hero, a loving husband and a caring father, despite his prior acts in the Sultan of Turkey’s wars, in which he became known as Vlad the Impaler.  After his service, Vlad became prince of Transylvania.  He became the “monster” in order to save his people from the Turks, as the Sultan wanted all of the boys from Transylvania for his army.  Vlad’s sacrifice enabled his son and kingdom survive the Turks take over. 

The characterization was well developed in that I could really sympathize with Vlad in the death of his wife, played well by Sarah Gadon.  The portrayal of the “original” vampire, was well played by Charles Dance.

  

With the death of Vlad’s wife and the turning of his people into vampires and then Vlad’s vampires turning on his son was causing me to question the point of Vlad becoming a vampire initially.  However, the storyline had his son beginning saved and becoming the next ruler of Transylvania and then seeing Dracula in modern times, as the audience was thinking he was dead from sun exposure, mollified my question of his sacrifice.

I quite enjoyed this interpretation of Dracula.  The casting was well done, as well as the setting.  An apropos movie for the Halloween season.

Best Scene:  When the Sultan of Turkey, portrayed by Dominic Cooper, another good job, fought Dracula in the reign of silver coins

Bean's Rating: Full price ticket

Mike's Review: I haven't seen any movies just completely about the origins of Dracula or how he came to be, but I have seen a ton of movie with little bits of Dracula background and many different story lines that had parts of a Dracula or similar type of all mighty Vampire.

This movie had a very interesting spin on how Vlad the Impaler became Dracula. Which is why it surprised me on how short this movie actually was, I could have watched this movie as a two hour movie easily.  But with Universal Pictures wanting to "re-vamp" their old classic monster/horror movies for a new generation of movie watchers, you can see why they didn't want to put to much into their first of many new movies coming out. And also why they ended this movie the way they did in the present.  I think their gamble is going to pay off for them, and in the process create a whole new era of "classics".

Best scene: I liked the battle scene where Dracula is controlling all of the bats.  And I also liked the ending.  Let the games begin.

Mike’s rating:  Worth the price of the ticket.

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