Nosferatu is the very first movie that I have seen in a theatre in 2025 and it was a fantastic way to kick things off. I remember watching the original Nosferatu while I was at university and learning all about what a groundbreaking movie it was. He is such a recognizable character and so instantly recognizable that I was very interested to see how Robert Eggers was going to modernize it.
How to Download Nosferatu
Nosferatu was released on December 25, 2024. You can expect to be able to download or stream the film from a Peacock in about two months from its theatrical relase. Later it might also appear on platforms such as Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and check the current availability. If you like Robert Eggersm check out his mastepiece The Witch (2015).
The Movie Review
A Strong Opening with Ellen and Nosferatu
The movie starts in the very early 1800s when a young woman called Ellen offers herself to a supernatural being, this is where Nosferatu takes hold of her. Ellen is played by Lily-Rose Depp and I thought that she gave a great performance here. Although, the few scenes where she would do this shaking as she was in a trance here are kind of goofy, still, I am being pretty critical there as she nails this role for like 99 percent of the movie.
Thomas’ Journey to Transylvania
We fast forward a bit and Ellen is in love and married to a man called Thomas in Germany, who is played by Nicholas Hoult. Thomas works for some kind of property business and he is trying to work his way up to provide a better life for his wife. His super weird boss, Herr Knock offers Thomas the chance to move up in the company if he makes a journey to Transylvania to seal a deal for a run-down property in Germany for an “eccentric” Count Orlok.
Ellen has a bad feeling about this and Ellen even begs him not to go as she has been having strange dreams, but Thomas insists that he must go. Ellen stays with Thomas’s friend, Friedrich who is played by Arron Taylor Johnson, and let me tell you, this is a great comeback from the not so awesome Kraven the Hunter movie for Thomas. I thought he was great in this role, playing a good friend to Thomas who truly cared about him.
The Chilling Atmosphere of Count Orlok’s Castle
The stuff with Thomas in Transylvania is awesome. I do not want to go into spoilers, but from Thomas meeting the villagers to going to the castle and meeting Count Orlok, I was absolutely hooked! Thomas discovers that Orlok is not exactly “normal” and ends up rushing back to Germany to try and save Ellen.
Ellen’s Struggles and the Introduction of Willem Dafoe
While all the stuff at Count Orlok’s castle is going down, things are not going well for Emma. Orlok is taking hold of her and her doctor cannot help her so he calls in Willem Dafoe’s Prof. Albin Eberhart Von Franz who deals with the strange and the occult and he puts it all together and warns everyone about the plague of Nosferatu and the curse that Ellen is under. Willem Dafoe is so awesome here.
A Brutal and Unforgettable Climax
We basically have this team that is trying to stop the curse of Nosferatu. By the way, the stuff with Friedrich and his family is absolutely brutal and I was not expecting the movie to go that far. However, that epic scene did an amazing job of showcasing just how evil Count Orlok/Nosferatu is.
Bill Skarsgård’s Terrifying Take on Nosferatu
Speaking of which, Bill Skarsgard was amazing as Nosferatu, granted he is wearing a ton of prosthetics, but I got such a kick out of this new Nosferatu design and I am glad they did not just try and regurgitate the original. He looks so freaking gross, creepy, and evil that he is one of the best looking movie monsters I have seen in a while.
A Visually Stunning Horror Experience
It is not just Count Orlok/Nosferatu that looks amazing, the whole movie is incredible. The way that is shot is great, they show off the different locations really well, getting in close when they need to, but also offering some great wide shots to show the amazing locations.
Is Nosferatu (2024) Worth Watching?
I love vampire movies and the trailers for Nosferatu looked amazing, but I did wonder if this was a remake that we needed. Well, I can tell you this is more than just a remake, they do enough of their own things here to make it stand well and truly on its own. It is so awesome how we have Nosferatu and the remake/reimagining of The Wolf Man being released so close together! I highly recommend you make an effort to go and see this, I was very happy to see that my theatre was pretty packed for this so it hopefully does really well.
