For dedicated horror fans who have seen every Dracula movie ever made, this week's release of Dracula Untold may, at first blush, sound familiar. (What? Dracula? Again?) Luke Evans stars as Vlad the Impaler, a family man with a devoted wife and loving son. He serves as the protective ruler of his small kingdom, which has made a treaty with a powerful, war-loving nearby nation. But when unreasonable demands are made, Vlad is faced with a horrifying choice: hand over a thousand children -- including his own beloved son -- or seek the assistance of a dark lord and the overwhelming supernatural force he controls.
The movie, though imperfect, actively seeks to walk a different path into vampire territory, and presents a welcome combination of horror and fantasy elements. Dracula Untold deserves an audience that is willing to embrace a bloodsucking tale featuring action, romance, adventure and a whole lot of bats. Here are five reasons why it's not your father's vampire movie.
1. It's set in the Middle Ages.
To a generation accustomed to seeing vampires attending high school, this might be a shock. Bram Stoker's original novel, published in 1893, took place contemporaneously, and while some modern versions have briefly visited "Vlad" in the Middle Ages, Dracula Untold takes place entirely in that time period.
2. Dracula is a father.
Most often, Dracula has been characterized as a seductive lothario with an irresistible appeal to all women; he's been the very definition of a swinging single. But here we have Dracula as "one of us," a loyal husband known as Vlad, a man who loves his dear wife and his feisty son. It makes him a very relatable and heroic figure.
3. He is self-sacrificing for the people he leads.
Rather than follow the advice of his court counselors and offer up his son and a thousand other young men to the military service of a foreign king, Vlad is willing to risk his own life in behalf of his people. That in itself sets him apart from most all other cinematic Draculas.
4. He transforms into a colony of bats.
Way back in 1931, Universal's first Dracula made a huge impact on the moviegoing public, and cemented certain iconic images, including the (unseen) transformation of Count Dracula into a bat. The new version, possibly borrowing the idea from the Castlevania video game series, depicts Vlad's ability to transform instantaneously into a colony of bats. It's startling and used very effectively.
5. His powers are more akin to superpowers.
Without delving any further into spoilers, Vlad eventually displays abilities that are closer to those of a superhero rather than a vampire. It's fun and exciting to see that the filmmakers are willing to play around with such an established character and add their own touches to an ever-growing legacy.
