Are you interested in a vampire movie that was intended to establish a cinematic universe of its own, full of exciting action sequences, deep human ties, and a dark fate that will turn our hero into a villain in under two hours? No, we're not talking about Morbius here, though, ironically, both films were written by the same duo of Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless of Lost In Space fame... We're actually talking about Dracula Untold, a monster origin story that, honestly, gets a bit of a bad rap, especially for how well put together the whole thing is.
Originally planned as the initial launching point for Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe franchise (you know, before they went with The Mummy reboot instead), Dracula Untold stands best on its own, primarily as a historical fantasy epic. Not only are the action sequences in this Dracula prequel pretty phenomenal, and the cinematography gorgeous, but Luke Evans’ underappreciated portrayal of Vlad Țepeș, a man haunted by his past sins, is by far one of the most humanizing versions of the Count we've ever seen. The way that Vlad fights for his wife, his son, and his country is a completely unique take on the character that encourages us, as with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, to take a deeper, more intentional look at the monster.
While other Dracula adaptations such as Bram Stoker's Dracula and Van Helsing have tried to reframe the Count as a more sympathetic character (at least in some respects), Dracula Untold manages to take a step further by turning Vlad into a straight-up action hero. This new take on the character is fascinating, especially given the ties to the historical Vlad the Impaler (Bram Stoker's original inspiration for Dracula), who is still seen as something of a Romanian folk hero to this day.
A Base in History
Rather than Dracula simply being a bloodthirsty vampire from the get-go (which works great for most versions), Dracula Untold uncovers the Count's time as a human being in mid-1400s Transylvania. The Vlad we meet here is torn up by his past actions as "the Impaler," which, along with his past as a child soldier, continues to haunt him years later. By setting the film in the 15th century and further exploring the final days of Vlad Dracula's human existence, we see a more honorable and, dare we say, heroic side of this classic monster, one who is willing to put his own life on the line for his people.
Even if the events of the film itself are entirely fictional, the take on Vlad Țepeș is a compelling one. This is not unlike how the Underworld series handled the first film's antagonist Lucian, a werewolf who upon further inspection in the prequel (Rise of the Lycans), gains a bit more sympathy and his actions in the original film are better understood. By seeing the story from Dracula's point of view, we can further understand, and even possibly support, his decision to become a vampire, especially in light of the impending threat of the Ottoman Empire.
While some elements of Vlad's history in Dracula Untold are obviously fictional, including his wife Mirena (Sarah Gadon) and son Îngeraș (Art Parkinson), other historical additions such as Vlad's role as Prince of Wallachia and Transylvania, the invasion of Sultan Mehmed II (Dominic Cooper), and even the origin of his name (deriving from the Order of the Dragon) are completely genuine. It's these small touches that ground the film in a distant historical reality, one that slowly but surely deviates entirely into a dark fantasy. Oh, and making the 1st-century Roman emperor Caligula the "original" vampire (played masterfully by Charles Dance) is pretty ingenious.
Tragic Fall From Grace
As the story continues, we watch as Vlad gradually falls from his noble and heroic standing. While the film alludes to the Impaler's status as a monster long before he grew fangs (which seems like an understatement at times), his unholy alliance with the creature at Broken Tooth Mountain is the final nail in his unused coffin, ensuring his own demise in just three short days. As Vlad slowly loses his humanity, becoming more ravenous and bloodthirsty, he begins to forfeit his soul. In fact, the film ends with Vlad rejecting his old moniker, "Son of the Dragon," and instead renames himself the "Son of the Devil." While most interpretations of Dracula choose to assume the Count's damnation from the get-go, Untold takes us along for the hell-bound ride.
This is seen in a variety of clever ways in the film, but one of the most interesting is the timing of the events. It's on Easter Sunday, during their celebration of the resurrection of Christ, that Vlad is told he is to give up his one and only son. Then, upon meeting with Caligula, he's told that the effects of the vampire curse will last three days depending on his actions. At the end of the three days, he'll either be restored back to life, like Christ, or his soul will be condemned to death (or, undeath?) for eternity. This is a battle that Vlad and Mirena fight together, though upon her tragic fate he forsakes God and country, choosing bloodthirsty revenge for his bride.
The religious significance of the crucifix, representing not just death but resurrection from the dead, plays an important role here as well. As the monk Brother Lucian (Paul Kaye) explains the vampire's origins, we know that Vlad's supernatural powers are demonic in nature, and opposed to God. Even God's basic creations, the sun and pure silver, are a scourge to him. Of course, as Vlad struggles with losing his faith and being condemned by Heaven, the symbol of the source of his salvation eventually becomes a curse to him as well. In fact, the crucifix is the only reason Brother Lucian and Vlad's son Îngeraș even survive Dracula's vampire hoard at the film's end.
The Large-Scale Stakes
No, not that kind of stake... Unlike some monsters who simply want power or status, Vlad becomes a vampire (with the express desire to give it up) solely to save his family and country from the troubles of war. Sadly, his heroic motives only make his fate all the more tragic, and the idea that he might potentially lose his country and family means that the stakes have never been higher. As the sultan's army continues to encroach on their land, demanding tribute in the form of silver and young boys, he's forced to make an unthinkable choice, and yet he does so with seemingly relative ease.
In losing his country, his people, and his wife, Vlad is ultimately thrown into an incurable despair. Because of this, his cause shifts from honorably defending his people to freely seeking the blood of his enemies, especially Mehmed. This isn't even to mention the deal that he'd made with Caligula, that if he were to succumb to his bloodlust, the master vampire would go free from this mountaintop prison to terrorize the world again. For a Dracula adaptation, the stakes have never been higher, and although Vlad wins in the end, it comes at a terrible cost he's unwilling to pay, forcing him to sacrifice himself for his son. But like all great Draculas, death doesn't quite put him down.
Self-Contained, But Open For More
Clocking in at the perfect runtime of just over an hour and a half long, Dracula Untold is a story that stands strongest when on its own. Sure, there's the "building a bigger universe" scene at the end (set in present-day London), but barring that, this movie is masterfully self-contained. In fact, the Dark Universe tie-in that's shoe-horned in at the end is pretty distracting from the overall plot and makes Vlad's dark turn somewhat less believable, undercutting his actions in the third act entirely. To be even franker, it doesn't belong in the movie.
But, when the rest of the film is considered, Dracula Untold stands tall as a compelling origin for the world's most famous vampire, one that makes him (like every good villain) the hero of his own story. Of course, Vlad's actions aren't all heroic and the evil power he holds only corrupts him, but that's part of what makes monsters so interesting. Since it's unlikely we'll ever see Luke Evans portray Dracula again, it should be noted that his performance is commendable and that this author would certainly watch another Evans-as-Dracula picture, especially if The Hobbit star were playing a more villainous version of the Count.
While the film's epilogue might keep it from serving as a direct prequel to Bram Stoker's original novel (or even any of the Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee films), the rest of Vlad's journey directly sets up his status as the ominous Count Dracula (complete with his own Reinfeld stand-in), reminding us that even the noblest of men could easily become monsters.