Within seconds of Robert Eggers’ vision of “Nosferatu,” you realize that Eggers understood the assignment and delivered. The dark, gothic and beautiful atmosphere is something in and of itself. One might even say that the atmosphere here is the main character. Without the creation of the setting from Eggers, this doesn’t hit the way it does.
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“Nosferatu” (2024) Review: Robert Eggers Makes an Oscar Push
Lily-Rose Depp Shines
It’s led by a terrifyingly unsettling performance from Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter. The amount of effort Depp put into the body acting in this is probably the best I’ve ever seen. She also pours emotion and anguish into the entirety of the film. It was just an outstanding performance all around – an Oscar nomination-worthy performance without a shadow of a doubt.
Bill Skarsgard is our Count Orlok, and if you didn’t know it was him from the reveal of his casting, you’d have no clue while watching this. He is completely transformed and is a sight to behold. Skarsgard’s vocal delivery is the most horrifying piece of his performance. It was said in an interview that vocal specialists warned him if he did the whole film like that he could end up with permanent damage. He respectfully decided to continue anyway. Boy, am I glad he did because it is perfection!
The rest of the cast rounded out nicely as well. Nicholas Hoult (Thomas Hutter) delivered one of the best performances that I’ve seen from him. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Friedrich Harding) continues to impress and is growing as an actor right before our eyes. Emma Corrin (Anna Harding) and Ralph Ineson (Dr. Wilhelm Sievers) added good supporting roles. But it’s of course, Willem Dafoe (Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz) who steals the show once when he’s on screen. He’s only in this movie for maybe half of it, but his charismatic persona continues to grab your attention. He had a blast with this role, and it’s extremely apparent.
Succumbing to the Darkness
The cinematography is undoubtedly the focal point and star of this film, though. Eggers created such a perfect atmosphere for this story. Using nothing but natural lighting completed it. You can tell when it’s dark and only lit by candles and fireplaces because it adds that scared feeling to your gut. Shadows tell the tale of the antagonist and it’s scary as hell. You don’t even need to see Orlok, just his shadow and voice.
There are a few shots in this film that are breathtaking as well. Hoult’s character walking down a pitch black road through the woods surrounded by fog while snow falls is one of them. It’s terrifying and beautiful all in the same. A moment in the film where you think, “Man that’s a beautiful shot, and in a horror film?” There are multiple examples of Eggers using natural light and gorgeous on-location pieces that mixed nearly perfectly. Bravo to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, who absolutely crushed this film and deserves an Oscar nomination.
The story may not appeal to most, and although some feel it starts slow, I respectfully disagree. It sucks you in right away, and the story unfolds at a perfect pace for a gothic horror film. When the action happens, which is limited to a degree, it’s quick and bloody. However, it leaves a lasting impression; I’m still thinking about some scenes and the macabre that is displayed.
It’s a trip to Germany in the 1800s that deserves to be seen on the big screen and will have you thinking about the myth of “Nosferatu” for quite some time after the credits roll. This is a film that could and should receive some Oscar praise.
“I am nothing but appetite.” – Count Orlok
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