Cindy Prascik's Review of Renfield

My dear reader(s), this weekend I had the opportunity to catch up with the Dracula-adjacent movie Renfield.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

The eternal sidekick embarks on a journey of self-improvement, putting him at odds with his dark master.

Renfield is a solid horror comedy that's heavy on gore and fairly light on lore. Laughs take the lead, with a beautifully over-the-top Nicolas Cage camping it up as the immortal Angel of Death, and Nicholas Hoult as his downtrodden sidekick. Awkwafina nearly steals the show as an incorruptible police officer whose own quest for vengeance intersects with Renfield's mission. The original premise is its own reward here, but the movie also benefits from nice special effects, well placed humor, and an efficient runtime.

Renfield clocks in at 93 minutes and is rated R for "bloody violence, some gore, language throughout, and some drug use."

If you can stomach a lot (a LOT) of blood and you're in the mood for a new take on an old tale, Renfield is the flick for you. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Renfield gets eight.

Renfield is now streaming on Peacock.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: RENFIELD

 

Renfield, the tortured aide to his narcissistic boss, Dracula, is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding. However, after centuries of servitude, he's ready to see if there's a life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness.

Director: Chris McKay

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo

Release Date: April 14, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

Rated R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use

Runtime: 1h 33m

Review:

Chris McKay's Renfield is a goofy and bloody romp that plays like a weird mash up of John Wick by way of Tim Burton.  The film has an undeniably cartoonish charm that makes it easy to enjoy from the start.  McKay film has a kinetic sort of energy with flourishes of style highlighted early on with a clever use of classic Dracula footage used to give the Cliff's Notes version of Renfied's backstory.  Nicholas Hoult as the titular star is a likable lead as the sad sack that's been in a toxic relationship for centuries.  Hoult's performance is endearing enough to make you care about his predicament which also keeps him from being totally out shone by Nicolas Cage's performance as Dracula.  Cage is entirely in his element in this role as he's given free reign to do whatever outlandish thing he wants to do.  It’s a crazy mixture of just about every iteration of the character condensed into a singular, hilarious performance.  The film works best when it focuses on Cage and Hoult's characters and the gonzo action sequences peppered throughout.  It hits some speedbumps when it falls back on its rather thin plot and romantic subplot.  Awkwafina brings a certain sort of energy which works in small bits, and it would have been more effective if the script had just cut the romantic overtones especially since she and Hoult just don't have that sort of chemistry together.  Ultimately, it keeps Renfield from maintaining its comedic energy consistently enough to make it truly memorable.

B-