Dracula Feasts in Adequate Nautical Horror Film ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’

Dracula Feasts in Adequate Nautical Horror Film ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’

By Alex McPherson

Clunky and formulaic, but kept afloat by gripping performances and a vicious mean streak, director Andre Øvredal’s “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” is a fun albeit insubstantial vampiric bloodbath on the high seas.

Inspired from a single chapter of Bram Stoker’s 1897 Dracula titled “The Captain’s Log” and framed via flashback in epistolary fashion, “Demeter” recounts a grim tale of Count Dracula’s voyage from the Carpathian Mountains to London. He wreaks havoc upon a crew of hapless sailors who have absolutely no idea what they’re in for on an otherwise routine cargo-transporting trip across the Aegean.

Among the crew is Captain Elliot (Liam Cunningham of “Game of Thrones” fame), an aged shipman embarking on one last assignment before leaving his seafaring days behind him; his curious, enthusiastic grandson, Toby (Woody Norman); the severe First Mate, Wojchek (David Dastmalchian, mostly one-note with some shoddy ADR); an earnest, Cambridge-educated physician named Clemens (Corey Hawkins); the ship’s superstitious cook, Joseph (Jon Jon Briones); plus a foursome of sailors (Chris Walley, Stefan Kapicic, Martin Fururland, and Nikolai Nikolaeff) who, not by the actors’ faults, don’t have much time to distinguish themselves. There’s also a strange woman aboard who rolls out of a crate, Anna (Aisling Franciosi), who’s lost plenty of blood but is able to hold her own as a confident badass. 

Oh, Dracula (Javier Botet) is aboard, skulking in the darkness and picking off unfortunate chaps in swift, jump-scare-laden attacks. It’s a battle for survival on the Demeter, as the crew try to vanquish the devil in their midst and make it to London alive before Dracula makes an all-you-can-drink buffet of their innards.

Javier Botet is Dracula

With hints of “Alien” and “The Thing,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” has the potential to be a taut, claustrophobic thrill ride with a horror icon uncaged. Unfortunately, Øvredal’s film doesn’t fully capitalize on its premise; rushed editing and trope-heavy frights hold it back, leaving its talented ensemble (especially Hawkins) to do the heavy-lifting, with reminders of a more emotional, immersive experience that could have been.

The ingredients are seemingly all there for a horror knockout: detailed production design, a claustrophobic atmosphere, committed actors putting in their all, and the opportunity to witness Dracula unleashing carnage on a fateful oceanic voyage — screams echoing through the ship’s winding corridors and stairways as waves crash against the hull under the cover of darkness.

Whether or not due to studio interference, however, “Demeter” refuses to slow down enough to allow its characters to develop, or allow its promising atmosphere to seep into viewers’ bones, turning the unpredictable to predictable through generic staging and framing.

It’s a shame that the film doesn’t spend more time fleshing out its characters (both human and vampiric) early on, as most are reduced to archetypes that, despite some colorful dialogue by Bragi Schut Jr. weaving in occasional dark humor, feel like a missed opportunity for more stakes and dramatic depth. Hawkins, Cunningham, and Franciosi are the standouts — bringing pathos and groundedness to their characters that the screenplay only fitfully provides.

Hawkins, in particular, brings a fierce rage, compassion, and courageousness to Clemens that leads to some poignant moments as the body count rises. Denied opportunities because of the color of his skin and underestimated by his peers — Wojchek reeks of prejudice — Clemens seeks to make sense of the world, encountering a creature that’s the ultimate test of his resolve as literal Evil incarnate.

Corey Hawkins as Clemens in The Last Voyage of the Demeter, directed by André Øvredal.

The film’s attempts to weave these themes into the narrative are heavy-handed, for sure, yet driven home by Hawkin’s commanding screen presence. Cunningham, to a lesser extent, conveys the Demeter’s world-weary Captain with tangible sadness, while Franciosi shines as a wronged heroine eager to fight back against fate.

Dracula himself, as portrayed by Botet, is creepily rendered as the spindly, lightning-fast creature — undergoing physical transformations over the runtime that present new challenges for the sailors to contend with — but is otherwise reduced to a fairly standard movie monster, put in repetitive situations where viewers well-versed in horror rhythms will know beat-for-beat when he shows up to chow down on whichever unlucky sap is in his sights. 

Indeed, it’s a shame that Øvredal doesn’t put Dracula in more creative situations to torment the sailors, or take full advantage of the vessel’s enclosed spaces to ratchet up paranoia and suspense, although Tom Stern’s cinematography adds some stylistic flair though dutch angles and bird’s-eye-view shots that emphasize the feeling of always being watched.

The scare-factor is further lessened by Øvredal’s decision to show Dracula early on breaking from the crew’s perspectives to give away what they’re up against, appealing to short attention spans and not trusting viewers to use their imaginations, like the sailors, to speculate what lurks out of sight. Suffice to say, plot holes rear their heads too, as do illogical decisions (maybe Clemens and co. should fight back during the day, rather than at night when Dracula’s on the prowl).

Taken on its own, lower standards, “Demeter” is always watchable, and sometimes involving, thanks to some impressively grisly carnage (no animal or human is safe) and the aforementioned acting talent on display. There’s a comforting escapism in watching a gothic-inspired bloodbath unfold that doesn’t have high-minded ambitions and takes a cheekily confident approach in laying the groundwork for a future franchise, no matter whether it comes to fruition. Chills, suspense, and memorable characters are absent, but viewers could do much worse than “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” and on a rainy day, it’s tempting to hop aboard.

LIam Cunningham is the Captain.

“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” is a 2023 horror film directed by Andre Ovredal and starring Corey Hawkins, Javier Botet, Liam Cunningham, Aisling Franciosi, David Dastmachian, Jon Jon Brionis and Woody Norman. It is rated R for bloody violence and runtime is 1 hour, 58 minutes. In opened in theaters Aug. 11. Alex’s Grade: B-.  

 Note: this review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

‘C’mon C’mon’ Takes the Road Less Traveled in Exploring Family Ties

‘C’mon C’mon’ Takes the Road Less Traveled in Exploring Family Ties


By Lynn Venhaus

A gentle outlook on family dynamics and how adults communicate with children, “C’mon C’mon” takes the road less traveled approach. It has something to say and achieves that with uncommon simplicity and openness.

Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), a radio journalist, is traveling across the country to interview children for an assignment. He stops in Detroit and New Orleans and asks kids about what they think about the future – their fears, expectations, and outlook.

While in L.A., he visits his sister, Viv (Gaby Hoffmann), and spends time with his precocious 9-year-old nephew Jesse (Woody Norman). He and the deeply inquisitive Jesse bond, and they return to his home in NYC together, at a time where the boy’s devoted mother needs to be with his father Phil (Scoot McNairy), who is not well.

Working in stark contrasting black-and-white with cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Oscar nominee for “The Favourite”), writer-director Mike Mills captures distinctive geographic landscapes that allows more focus on intimate interactions in day-to-day living.

This is not an ordinary look at our contemporary world, nor is it typical in its displays of major metropolitan cities. With his keen eye, Mills establishes a rhythm that lets us see things differently, opens the audience to various possibilities – but stays within a narrow framework.

Think of this like chapters in folklore or a fable, sometimes meandering, often illuminating, but the earnest characters are always learning and striving towards understanding.

You get a sense that one day, the relentlessly curious Jesse may write a memoir recalling a most memorable time – a sort of “Travels with My Uncle” from his generational viewpoint. But for now, it’s what appears to be a collection of daily engagements: selecting a toothbrush without audio stimulation, not being able to sleep, mom reading “The Wizard of Oz” to him over the phone and eating a slice of pizza at a neighborhood joint.

The cast excels at its depiction of family ties. In a demonstrative departure, Joaquin Phoenix’s first role since his Oscar-winning turn in the dark and disturbing “Joker” in 2019, finds him softer and squishier, with a scruffy beard and shaggy hair. As Johnny, a bachelor without a significant other or children, Johnny cares about his family and is dedicated to the documentaries he works on but has settled into a mundane routine. Having a child to care for disrupts that — but also provides those teachable moments that propel youth forward. (And also makes a mark on the adult forced to open up).

Phoenix, a new father in real life, and guileless child actor Woody Norman, who has worked in mostly British TV, present an evolving human relationship that unfolds naturally. Norman’s performance is revealing, and Phoenix shows a completely different side of his nature. They are both acting, of course, only it doesn’t look or feel like it.

Gabby Hoffmann, a child actress (“Field of Dreams,” “Sleepless in Seattle”) who grew into a formidable adult artist (Emmy nominated for “Transparent” and “Girls”), plays a responsible adult trying to raise a decent human being, and having all the doubts and anxiety that goes with those choices and decisions. Like the rest of the cast, she gives an engaging lived-in portrayal.

The scenes recording the thoughts of school children provides yet another perspective from diverse voices. Nobody’s life is static, after all, and what they say offers a different slant.

The film’s score is also noteworthy for its interesting mix of synthesizer and classic music pieces. Composers Aaron and Bryce Dessner are known professionally as part of The National, an indie alternative rock band that’s been around for two decades.

Specific in the details he wrote about, Mills has presented an insightful look at life – it may seem slight, and that not much happens, but look closer — you will find pieces of your loved ones and your own journey that will resonate.

Kids are hard work to raise. We don’t match their energy and our senses of wonder and joy are rekindled in their company because they look at life with fresh pairs of eyes. They can be tiring and frustrating – just like we are to them. But they teach us more than we teach them, give us a purpose, and increase our capacity to love ten-fold.

“C’mon C’mon” is not the same-old, same-old. It’s a jagged atmospheric little slice of life that will open your heart and deepen your connection to the people in your world.


“C‘mon C’mon” is a 2021 drama written and directed by Mike Mills. It stars Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Norman, Gaby Hoffmann and Scoot McNairy. It is rated R for language and runs 1 hour, 48 minutes. It is in select theaters on Nov. 24 and premiered locally at the St. Louis International Film Festival on Nov. 7. Lynn’s Grade: B+.