Renfield (2023) spoiler free review
Being the assistant of a vampire can be a fun job at the beginning but it can turn into a nightmare. Renfield is a 2023 American supernatural comedy horror film directed and produced by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie, The Tomorrow War) and written by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) featuring characters from the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, it serves as a direct sequel to Dracula (1931). The film had its world premiere at the Overlook Film Festival on March 30, 2023, and was released in theaters in the United States on April 14, 2023.
Renfield, Dracula’s henchman and inmate at the lunatic asylum for decades, longs for a life away from the Count, his various demands, and all of the bloodshed that comes with them.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula, Nicholas Hoult as R. M. Renfield, Awkwafina as Rebecca Quincy, Ben Schwartz as Tedward “Teddy” Lobo, Adrian Martinez as Chris, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Bellafrancesca “Ella” Lobo, Brandon Scott Jones as Mark, a support group leader, Jenna Kanell, Bess Rous as Caitlyn, James Moses Black, Caroline Williams, and Miles Doleac.
My opinion
After decades of being Dracula’s assistant, Renfield ends in a 12-step self-help group for co-dependency with a macabre plan but quickly realizes that he in fact needs a support group. Ending in the middle of the police and the biggest mafia family in the city Renfield joins forces with the traffic cop Rebecca Quincy to finally get out of his life lasting job.
If I had to describe this film in one word it would be fun. Renfield has a duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes that felt less than that. The fast pace of the story will hook you from the very beginning and by the time that is done you don’t even realize it. Nicolas Cage as Dracula is the right cast, it’s noticeable that he enjoyed playing this enigmatic character. Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina had a good chemistry with the perfect balance of comedy and drama. The film has some fighting sequences that are once again the perfect balance between “campy” comedy and action.
The gore level is the expected for a vampire’s film with a well made job by the makeup department, especially the fx makeup used in Cage and Hoult. Overall this is a film to sit back, relax, and enjoy. It’s simple, straight to the point, funny, and enjoyable. This is the comeback that the character needed after the failure of Universal’s Dark Universe. Enjoy this modern take of Dracula and his assistant now available in theaters.