“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” had been in development hell for a couple decades, and while it’s great for vampire horror fans that it has finally been made, the timing isn’t ideal. TV shows like “The Strain” and “Midnight Mass” have pulled vampire fiction back from the sexy type to the scary type.
That seemingly makes “Demeter’s” timing perfect, but its parallels to “Midnight Mass” kept me thinking about how that TV miniseries achieved similar aims better. On the other hand, I think “Demeter” will have long-term status as a hidden gem among vampire films because it’s so technically adept. And people who like their stories in shorter form might love it.
Writers Bragi F. Schut and Zak Olkewicz adapt one chapter of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1897), “The Captain’s Log.” This is a prequel, telling of how the vampire got from Carpathia to London on a voyage through the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” (2023)
Director: André Øvredal
Writers: Bragi F. Schut, Zak Olkewicz (screenplay); Bram Stoker (“Dracula” novel)
Stars: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham
The marketing materials have made it clear this is a “Dracula” story – his name was even in the title for a while — so I’m not spoiling anything. Even if you go in cold, an opening title card mentions Dracula. It might’ve been cooler if this was somehow a stealthy tie-in, where the monster’s identity is a big reveal, but I’m not sure how they could’ve pulled that off.
Arty more than scary
As it stands, director André Øvredal’s film doesn’t offer a lot surprises. It does capture 1890s shipboard activities and procedures and has the requisite mood. And the precise nature of vampiric rules for this film is unknown, thus allowing for some flexibility.
The cast is solid, led by Corey Hawkins (“24: Legacy”) expanding his acting repertoire as a young yet world-weary black doctor in a time when racism is just as bad in Europe as in America.
Liam Cunningham’s stentorian narration is elevated in the mix as he plays the captain, and reliable character actor David Dastmalchian disappears into the role of his first mate. Lest we deal with only sweaty seamen, we also get stowaway Aisling Franciosi (great on TV’s “The Fall”) and the captain’s little kid and a loyal dog.
“Demeter” is one of those modern films where I can’t complain about the visual effects’ believability, yet subconsciously I know it relies on CGI (particularly for the monster, naturally). Despite a variety of weather, the Demeter’s deck often feels like it’s in a black box theater. And the film is never particularly scary even amid moments of high horror artistry.
A bonus chapter
On one hand, I appreciate that “Demeter” doesn’t drag its feet and become misery porn; it’s paced like an action film in the final act. On the other hand, “The Strain” and “Midnight Mass” have time to play up the grossness and creepiness of animalistic vampires, and to drench us in mystery, fatalism and lore.
In a way, “Demeter” does go deep into the lore; after all, it spends 2 hours adapting not a novel, but a mere chapter – something that could only be marketable with one of the most famous novels ever. If movies become more flexible about this sort of thing, I’d like to request “The Last Voyage of the S.S. Venture,” telling of how the T-rex kills the crew and then returns to its hold in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.”
That concept would require surprises, but in “Demeter” we know the broad strokes of what’s going to happen. This really is a bonus chapter more so than an illuminating chapter. “Demeter” itself could use a prequel telling of why and how Dracula held a Romanian village in his sway before literally draining it and moving on. And then that story could use a prequel telling of how Dracula came to be.
With its respectable period-piece style and decent character roster, “Last Voyage of the Demeter” is a good vampire film. Due to its timing, it’s unfortunately not one that stands out.