Not many filmmakers can remake a 102-year-old film and still provide a fresh, interesting take. Yet, to nobody’s surprise, Robert Eggers does so with 2024’s Nosferatu. The film is already faring well at the box office, as well as critically (you can check out Bumbray’s glowing review HERE) yet this movie has been shrouded in mystery. So, just like with Alien: Romulus, I’m taking a spoilery look at why this worked so well. Because sure, casting actors like Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, and Nicholas Hoult will certainly help any movie out. But there’s one person that absolutely walks away with this film: Lily-Rose Depp.

Yeah, I’m sure you thought I was going to say Bill Skarsgård and his rendition of Nosferatu and we’ll surely get into that later but it’s Depp’s performance that anchors the film. She is truly spectacular and works as the heart and soul. I, like many, was trepidatious when Anya Taylor Joy dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Her prior collaboration with Eggars, The Witch, was incredible and it would have been great to see them reteam. Then it was announced that Lily-Rose Depp would step into the role instead. Cries of “nepo baby” were heard across the internet. But hey, In Eggers We Trust.

Depp’s Ellen is vulnerable while having such strength to her. She’s in control of her emotions at all times (how very different from Ellen herself) and is able to turn on the waterworks in an instant. But it’s all the small moments that spotlight her performance. The shivering of her lips, the vacant stare as she’s in Nosferatu’s trance, whatever it is, she makes you feel the moment fully. It’s easy to see why Hoult’s Thomas Hutter went to such lengths for her. This is really a love story after all. One side just happens to be an evil monster, intent on murdering everyone in sight if he doesn’t get what he wants.

Bill Skarsgard is able to deliver yet another villainous performance that completely stands on its own as Count Orlok. There aren’t even hints of his Pennywise here, as he lowers his voice a whole octave and has a heavy accent. While you can certainly see more of Bill’s visage through the makeup than his days in Derry, it’s all unsettling. The mustache makes him properly creepy (which Eggers did for historical accuracy) and helps this version not blend in with the rest. Even still, you can still see that classic Orlok design in the skull. But I’m not sure if anyone expected this to be as horny as it is.

You read that right. 2024’s Nosferatu is easily the horniest this story has ever been. There’s an innate sexual side to the feeding, with victims moaning in ecstasy. Ellen’s dreams have her making noises that would make the average person blush as she tries to resist his embrace. Then there’s the whole finale, where Orlok writhes on top of her. It really hammers home the sexual element. I’m curious to see how many people this will turn off but this just made me like the movie even more. We don’t have nearly enough horniness in movies these days and I’m sure most didn’t expect it to come from this 102-year-old “remake.”

Nosferatu may be a retelling of Dracula, but it still has enough new material to feel fresh. And how it’s presented allows it to stand out even moreso from the original. Eggers does a great job of presenting the material in a way that doesn’t feel like we’re just waiting for the next story beat. Sure, the story is familiar, but doesn’t hand hold in its delivery. The sound design really allows the pacing to remain energetic while still keeping things simple. Robin Carolan‘s score is subtle and properly conveys the dread needed for this world.

Ultimately, Nosferatu is an experience like no other. This is a taste of the past in a way that we don’t often get. It’s easy to get lost in the world that Eggers has created and get wrapped up in the dread that fills every frame. Lily-Rose Depp is absolutely phenomenal and this is a star-making performance from her (odd to say for the daughter of Johnny Depp, but it’s true). In a world full of imitators, Skarsgard’s Orlok is unique and terrifying, with Eggers giving him just the right amount of screentime. Nosferatu already feels like a timeless classic.

What did you think of Nosferatu? Where does it stand in Eggers’ filmography? Let us know down below!

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