Film Review: THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023): André Øvredal Directs an Inspired but Overlong DRACULA Spin-off

The Last Voyage of the Demeter Review

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by André Øvredal, written by Bragi F. Schut, Zak Olkewicz and Bram Stoker and starring Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Chris Walley, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapicic, Martin Furulund, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Woody Norman, Javier Botet, Andy Murray, Nicolo Pasetti and Christopher York.

André Øvredal’s new film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, is a literary fan’s dream horror movie. It’s well-paced, suspenseful and pays homage to Bram Stoker’s Dracula in its compelling story line that is based on the captain’s log of the Demeter ship which carried victims to their deaths thanks to the famous vampire’s presence on the boat. The movie’s main premise starts off a bit like Titanic as a doctor named Clemens (Corey Hawkins) saves a child’s life and is granted permission to board the Demeter ship which seems like it could have some evil on board. Consider this movie a sort of Titanic of horror movies.

The film opens in 1897 as the Demeter has crashed onto land with no survivors and flashes back four weeks earlier to the time where Clemens boards the boat. Clemens is a smart Black man who pretty much knows how to deal with the rowdy people on the ship. When a woman named Anna (Aisling Franciosi) is discovered more or less left for dead on the rat infested boat which has livestock in its lower corridors, many people think saving her life is pointless. Clemens revitalizes her through a blood transfusion nevertheless and believes that revitalizing her is just.

Dracula is on board the boat in initially meek form and must feed on blood in order to grow and rise to full power. Renfield fans will totally get what I mean. There are some great visual effects, especially in the latter part of the film as Dracula flies across the ship while attacking victims.

Young actor Woody Norman (C’mon C’mon) plays a kid named Toby who is part of the crew and becomes immersed in the action as a monster seems to have bitten all the livestock which the crew of the boat soon needs to dispose of. Norman is an excellent young performer and has some good scenes in the movie all the way up until he gets bitten himself and the plot gets very heavy handed. Norman is likable for much of his performance in this picture.

This film eventually employs vampire movie techniques such as daylight burning people who become bitten by the Count himself, Dracula. It’s all well done in true vampire movie fashion with its at sea setting an added bonus since it makes the action move at a fast clip and feel suspenseful throughout.

Wojchek (David Dastmalchian) is the head of the Demeter and is a big part of the movie as well. He looks for answers to questions regarding what is happening on board the ship as some people start to believe that, perhaps, Anna’s presence has something to do with the evil that is occurring at sea. Dastmalchian acquits himself admirably in his juicy role within the picture.

Corey Hawkins is an excellent heroic character who has dignity and respect. He forms a bond with Anna throughout the action as she seems to have a lot of knowledge about the Count that could help them defeat him. Hawkins and Franciosi are both super in their roles with the latter adding a touch of emotion to the picture in the later stages of it. Liam Cunningham also does a nice job as Captain Eliot who chronicles what transpires on the adventurous voyage that, unfortunately, won’t have a happy ending for most on board.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter has some scenes of terror that will grip the audience throughout. Thanks to the heroism displayed by the characters of Clemens and Anna, the movie feels like it has plenty of character development which moves the action forward in a traditional scary fashion. As the daylight approaches at the film’s conclusion, one main character will perish and one will survive. You’ll have to see the movie to find out which one will live to try to confront Dracula off the boat.

André Øvredal has carefully created a movie that has its sights on being a companion piece to Dracula and succeeds overall. Are there problems? Well, yes. Some of the scenes aboard the ship waste time with characters who are both unlikable and boring. One such character flees the scene on a small boat and it feels like this guy is written flatly. Of course, the film employs such characters as vampire bait but still. Meanwhile, the film is at least fifteen minutes too long for its own good.

Dracula’s terrific on-screen conception is what saves the day here and steers the movie over to the recommended rating it is receiving. With Hawkins commandeering the picture alongside the energetic Franciosi, the film becomes an exciting fight for survival. While you think you probably know the ending, the movie also throws in a couple of surprises at the conclusion which were quite clever. While not a great film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter should hold horror movie fan’s attention and its literary pedigree will make it a must-see for Dracula fans.

Rating: 7/10

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