Renfield

Movie Review: Renfield

(Universal Pictures, 73 minutes)

Of enslavement and empowerment

By Earl D. C. Bracamonte 

Renfield is the tale of two Nicks - Nicholas Hoult who plays the titular character and Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage (1996, Leaving Las Vegas) as Count Dracula. What could be perceived by most as a horror movie of the Transylvanian Lord of the Dead is actually a story about modern-day self-empowerment. A support group for people who want to freed themselves from toxic relationships is the parallel story that kind of explains the dynamics between the two Nicks.

Former property lawyer R. Montesquieu Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) decides to leave his centuries-long line of work as henchman and familiar to Count Dracula as he finds a new lease on life in modern-day Louisiana. Through an unexpected meeting, Renfield falls in love, as unexpectedly, with feisty and perennially aggressive cop, Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), who joined the police force to avenge the untimely  demise of father from the hands of the Lobo crime family.

Playing the role of drug lord Teddy for the Lobo crime family is Ben Schwartz, while Academy Award nominee Shoreh Aghdasloo (The House of Sand & Fog) essays the role of mob queen Bellafranchesca Lobo.

With topnotch prosthetics and witty dialogue, Renfield is a 21st century noir-ish take on the legend of Count Dracula. It is also a journey of redemption for Renfield, who after supplying 'food' for his master for a long time, now finds himself saving innocent lives. Neither the hero nor the villain, Renfield must now choose his own destiny and redeem himself in the process.

Directed by Chris McKay, and penned by Ryan Ridley from an original idea by Robert Kirkman, Renfield is currently showing in Philippine theatres nationwide.