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Renfield (2023)

 


Renfield is about Dracula's familiar who has grown over the centuries he has been under servitude and finally wants something more.

Directed by Chris McKay, who is better known for The Lego Movie, and The Tomorrow War. There were certainly some technical difficulties when filming superhuman abilities but there was a plentitude of fun and suspension of disbelief that he worked around mostly for the good part.

I was surprised to see Robert Kirkman's name under the writers as I expected better writing but perhaps it was due to his Rick and Morty screenplay-writer Ryan Ridley. The film suffers in the writing department as this feels like a pilot to a tv show that just went a little long.

Nicholas Hoult seemed typecast for this movie. I say that but also he does the role justice. He plays Renfield who has to appear weak and subservient which his appearance always just oozes. His best scenes are with Awkwafina who plays the love interest slash incorruptible cop. There were parts in Awkwafina's storyline that felt out of place.

Nicholas Cage plays the over-the-top Dracula. There are scenes where I got the feeling I was watching Kick-Ass. Other than that, Cage does the role justice and would feel weird if just about anyone else was in the acting chair.

The film is still better than anything Marvel has put out, but I found myself wanting more interactions between Renfield and Dracula. The writing let me down, resulting in a C+.

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