The crew of the merchant ship Demeter attempts to survive the ocean voyage from Carpathia to London as they are stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship.
A classic story built around one chapter (the Captain’s Log) in Bram Stoker’s celebrated 1897 novel “Dracula” that hasn’t been told before on screen is the big draw of “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” a dark, gruesome, gothic film from director André Øvredal. The movie earns its R rating with vivid scenes of extreme gore and monster violence, and the typical horror storytelling delivers on expectations although it may never exceed them.
Chartered to carry private cargo consisting of fifty unmarked wooden crates, the merchant ship Demeter has set sail from Carpathia to London with a small crew (Corey Hawkins, David Dastmalchian, Liam Cunningham, and Woody Norman). It’s anything but smooth sailing for the doomed seamen as strange events begin to occur, and it doesn’t take long for them to realize they’re being stalked every night when the sun goes down. There’s a powerful evil aboard the ship, and it’s hunting and killing anything with a heartbeat.
The story itself is suspenseful, and Øvredal has excellent timing. The film is measured and well-paced, which works because even though you will know what lies ahead in terms of plot and obvious jump scares, it’s satisfying to watch the story get there. The anticipation of Dracula’s kills and feeds is what fans of the classic monster genre crave, and there’s plenty to appease those who love contemporary (and bloody) horror. It’s an excellent balance between the two, and the old fashioned film proves that vintage literary monsters are still downright frightening no matter your (or their) age.
Dracula himself is terrifying, a part man, part bat demonic creature that is the stuff of nightmares. I found myself checking the dark corners of my house when I returned from the theater, so please think twice before taking easily frightened kids or adults to see this. From the graphic, bloody, flesh-ripping slaughters to the stomach churning gulping sounds when the creature feeds on human blood, this is one grisly ride. I’ll reiterate: the movie more than earns its R rating.
Another element that works so well story-wise is that every single character is facing real danger. Their situation is dire, the stakes are high, and audiences are even told from the beginning that nobody gets out alive. This isn’t something that’s going to be easy or even possible to survive, and it lends a grim and horrifying tone.
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” is good, solid period horror that shows not only that Dracula is a timeless character, but also a formidable one that can still provide spine-tingling chills for modern audiences.
