Dracula Untold has very little to say

Originally published October 9, 2014 at 12:07 AM | Page modified October 9, 2014 at 9:32 AM

Movie Review

Dracula Untold, with Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Charles Dance. Directed by Gary Shore, from a screenplay by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. 92 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of warfare, vampire attacks, disturbing images and some sensuality. Several theaters.

In the movies, it seems that everyones entitled to an origin story, even Dracula so here we are with Dracula Untold, which takes us back to the 15th century to remind us that being a vampire is no easy gig. Long before Bram Stoker had eyes to twinkle, were told, Vlad the Impaler (Luke Evans, nicely coifed) was making a deal with a truly nasty demon (Charles Dance, made up to look like Voldemorts less well-preserved cousin) to give him the strength to crush his enemies. The good news: Consider them crushed. The bad news: Well, lets just say that impressively throbbing vein on Vlads lovely wife Mirena (Sarah Gadon) the vein that gets its very own dramatically lit close-up, and probably its own agent is looking awfully tasty.

Dracula Untold, directed by Gary Shore (in an unimpressive feature debut), isnt really a horror film; its more of an action movie with a little bloodsucking thrown in on the side. And, unfortunately, it falls into that far-too-large category of studio offerings that arent good enough to be noteworthy or terrible enough to be truly entertaining. Its CGI effects mostly murky blue mountains, blurry thousands of troops and Vlad occasionally being transformed into a flock of bats look fairly low-rent; its cast is handsome but uninspired. Only Dance, swishing around his characters creepily long tongue and hissing threats like, Ill rip you open from your belly to your brain and feed you your intestines, seems to be having any fun. The swords zing; the movie doesnt.

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com

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Dracula Untold has very little to say