The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) spoiler free review
“In 1897, a Russian schooner was chartered to carry private cargo, consisting of fifty wooden crates, from Romania to England. When the ship arrived, it was derelict. The name of the vessel was Demeter, and this is the story of its crew. Based on the captain’s log from the novel Dracula.”
Directed by André Øvredal and written by Bragi F. Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a 2023 American supernatural horror film and adaptation of the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker‘s Dracula ‘The Captain’s Log‘ published in 1897. The film was theatrically released in the United States on August 11, 2023, by Universal Pictures.
A crew sailing from Carpathia to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Corey Hawkins as Clemens, a doctor who joins the Demeter, Aisling Franciosi as Anna, an unwitting stowaway, Liam Cunningham as Captain Elliot, the captain of the Demeter, David Dastmalchian as Wojchek, the Demeter‘s first mate, Javier Botet as Dracula, Woody Norman as Toby, Jon Jon Briones as Joseph, Stefan Kapičić as Olgaren, Nikolai Nikolaeff as Petrofsky, Martin Furulund as Larsen, Chris Walley as Abrams, Nicolo Pasetti as Deputy Hirsch, and Sally Reeve as Landlady.
My opinion
With a impressive and meticulous attention to the details in the production and makeup design The Last Voyage of the Demeter takes us into a two hours long adaptation of the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker‘s Dracula ‘The Captain’s Log‘. The powerful score, composed by Bear McCreary, along with the practical sets and makeup are the only salvageable aspects of this adaptation. Even with a detailed set, the film lacks that feeling of fear and claustrophobia when you’re stuck on a ship in the middle of the sea with a dangerous creature on board.
With two hours of duration the film becomes repetitive and flat. The way the characters are written and performed leaves halfway any attempt to connect with the audience or evoke any feeling. The only notable performance is of Liam Cunningham as the Captain. He is the only one who manages to give that touch of emotion, sadness and despair to his character in the worst moments of the film. The main villain, Dracula, has little screen time, but is unable to truly scare even when the extent of his power is well known. There are villains who don’t need too much screen time to make an impact and be remembered. That is not the case with this Dracula, who lacks that aura of power and never becomes intimidating. This was a film that had the potential to be a good adaptation but it turned out to be just another average one.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.