“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.” – IMDB
I love a good renaissance. The McConaissance. The Laura Dern…aissance. The Ben Affleck renaissance….actually, scrap that last one.
So I have been fully enjoying the Cage-aissance. Not that he’s really changed his style of acting, he continues to be eccentric yet charming yet intense yet baffling all at once, but from Spider-man: Into/Across the Spider-verse to The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Nicholas Cage has leaned into choosing roles that fit his unique style and that are utterly delightful to watch.
Renfield is no exception. Based on the character in Bram Stocker’s original 1897 masterpiece (side note, Dracula holds up and is one of the few novels that has actually caused me to sleep with my light on), Renfield follows the legendary vampire’s tortured aide as he attempts to escape from the clutches of his evil overlord.
The movie leans into its own weirdness, allowing the characters to be as awkward as possible and the plotlines to be ridiculous to the point of absurdity. Renfield pays homage to classic monster movies while still feeling fresh and modern.
While it may not be the most exciting or memorable move that I’ve watched this year, it was a fun ride and that deserves kudos. Let’s put it this way, if I still had cable and it was on TBS or TNT on a Friday night, I would stop and watch it again. And in a way, isn’t that the highest praise you can give a movie? Hmmmm???
Rating: 7 out 10 Claire Bears
🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻
If you like this movie, you should also watch: Violent Night, What We Do in the Shadows
Streaming: Peacock
With: Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina
Directed By: Chris McKay
Let Me Clarify 