by Hera Hoi – EM TV Online
Dracula Untold, a dark-fantasy, mythological, action film adapted from the 1897 gothic horror novel ‘Dracula’ by Irish author, Bram Stoker, famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula.
With a massive twist to Stoker’s original tale and set in the 14th century, this adaptation of Dracula is not your typical cliché story of a blood-thirsty monster who desires power and women.
Directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless and original author of novel, Bram Stoker, the film tells the tale of Prince Vlad’s honour and heroism.
Following tradition, Prince Vlad (played by Luke Evans), serves the Turkish Empire as a soldier, he was given over as a show of loyalty by his father (the King) to the empire.
Years on, and Vlad, now an ex-soldier, sits on the royal throne and is faced with the same ultimatum his own father had encountered.
The film opens with Prince Vlad, accompanied by his finest soldiers, in search of those who are disturbing the peace of their land.
He first encounters another character, Charles Dance (, in a mind-boggling and somewhat terrifying scene, where Vlad manages to escapes death but loses a loyal soldier.
Vlad is courageous and hopeful, to say the least, as he returns to the darkest cave of Transylvania to awaken the blood dead monster, Charles Dance,who is as old as earth itself.
A twisted minded Charles, in admiralty of Vlad’s courage, gives a pint of his blood for Vlad and gives him 3 days to defeat his former ally, restore his kingdom and save his family.
Despite his present monstrous nature, Vlad remains a man who only craves for honour and never power nor blood, adores only one woman and vows to keep his son safe. He is forced to become Dracula to obtain the strength and power that could defeat masses of soldiers in a day.
The action-fantasy film concludes with a cliff hanger and there could wee be a sequel for Dracula Untold, we’ll just have to wait and see.
If you’re a huge fan of vampires, Draculas, all those mystical creatures and even Count Dracula, this may well be the movie for you, but if anything can be said about this flick, it’s highly enticed by heroism, honour, self sacrifice, with a strong sense of family values.
Dracula Untold keeps you at the edge of your seat, guessing right till the end and is great for dark- mythological movie enthusiasts out there.
