So, here’s the scoop: Back in 1838, this guy named Thomas Hutter, who’s just tied the knot with his lovely wife Ellen, gets shipped off to work out in the Carpathians by his real estate gig. Right from the get-go, things are spooky – nightmares start hitting him hard. And there’s some wacky stuff going on with the locals that makes no sense at all. Out of nowhere, he finds himself whisked away by a driverless carriage to Count Orlock’s creepy castle.

Things get extra weird when Count Orlock wants him to sign some sketchy documents written in gobbledygook. Thomas finally realizes he’s been dealing with something not alive and not dead but can’t do much about it except hide in his room. Just as frightening as it sounds, Count Orlock sets his sights on Wisborg and makes moves toward Ellen because he’s had a thing for her since she was young. So now Thomas has to find a way out before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, Orlock spreads chaos back in Wisborg with a plague while plotting ways to win over Ellen in three days. Now everyone thinks maybe Ellen somehow drew this dark menace into town because there’s chatter that her deep desires stirred up Nosferatu himself – you know how legends go?

What’s interesting is how folks talk about their social norms and repression—like even though Ellen’s clearly struggling with wild stuff inside her head and heart (not helped one bit by society), one doctor dude just chalks it up to needing tighter-fitting clothes! Yeah… real helpful advice there!
Alright, let me break it down for you. So, this movie’s all about Ellen, who’s got this cool mix of being a mermaid and kind of saint-like. It’s like she’s got this strong feminine power that can take on any monster but still gets held back by society’s rules. It touches on similar themes as another film from Eggers called *The Witch*. There, things play out differently, but the idea is pretty much the same—women’s strengths coming from their unique situations.

Now, let’s talk about Ellen and her encounters with a vampire. Back in her teenage years, she used to have dreams about him. Everything was fine until her husband made a decision to leave her alone due to the pressures he faced himself (he’s generally a nice guy though). That’s when troubles brew again—pretty much highlighting how some societal expectations can mess things up.

There’s also this interesting look at how desire plays out in darkness versus bringing it into the open. If you face it head-on and don’t hide it away, desire isn’t so dangerous anymore. Willem Dafoe’s character adds another layer with his mystical take on things—seeing Ellen as someone who would’ve been celebrated for her gifts in ancient times instead of getting stuck in traditional roles like motherhood.

Eggers really nails the remake here by giving us something both visually impressive and deeply thoughtful.
This movie takes some inspiration from Murnau’s original style, using lots of face-to-camera scenes and some cool cuts and movements. Eggers teams up again with Jarin Blaschke, the cinematographer who’s awesome with shadows and creating those washed-out, magical images. And like in “The Northman,” Eggers tags along composer Robin Carolan for a soundtrack that’s got that old-school silent film vibe.

Everything—from costumes to the set—fits together artistically. The actors really bring it too! You’ve got Lily-Rose Depp doing these incredible moves thanks to a Butoh dance choreographer, which is a Japanese dance style. Plus, there’s Bill Skarsgård who changes things up with a new take on his character; think more like a hardened corpse with visible wounds but keeping the ‘stache instead of sharp Dracula teeth.

Willem Dafoe? He’s back with his usual energy playing someone well apart from Van Helsing. In fact, his character’s named Albin Eberhart von Franz, tipping the hat to folks tied to the original film production and even to psychoanalysis and fairy tales through Marie-Louise von Franz. This gives everything an extra layer of homage and depth throughout the movie!
So, basically, this movie has kind of a wild vibe—it breaks some rules, but the big thing is it’s longer than you’d think. If you’ve watched any films by Eggers before, there’s nothing too shocking here. It does kick off with something fresh in the prologue, which is cool. But after that, it’s pretty much what you’re expecting if you’re familiar with his style.