Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

angiris Phew. Big title. I apologize but yes :)Okay this review is in 2 parts because I've only seen 3 episodes of the series and already I'm facing lots of pros and cons. Update at the end.Pros: Nr 1: Dracula is well made although at certain times you get a glance of overacting, but regardless, I enjoy the character as well as the casted actor. Nr 2: The music in this series is very well done and immersive. Its beautiful and dark when it needs to be either. Something that goes extremely well with its chosen setting of Victorian London. Nr 3: It's chosen setting is very good. its very dark and Gothic at times. It befits a Dracula story to the letter. I was originally worried this series would focus on a modern Dracula in the 20th or 21th century. Glad to see they return to the original setting from Stokers novel. Nr 4: The acting is very good. Don't be fooled by Dracula's occasional dramatic behavior because if you remember Stokers novel or hell any movie about Dracula, excessive drama and overacting really comes with the part :) Nr 5: The clothing and artistry involved in the wardrobes for all characters as well as creation of the sets are extremely well done and properly designed. And that's not just in regard to propriety but also in the element of passion and lust that was part of every good vampire focused story. Things are beautiful... and definitively eye-catching as well as passionate. Nr 6: Mina and Jonathan are here as well. And once again Mina is recognized by Dracula as his former love. Drama and desire ensues... and it works. Cons:Nr 1: The Story. Okay, so I had my first gripe with the story and something made it very hard to enjoy this series at first. First of all the beginning episode wasn't well done. It was too rushed and tried too hard to establish too much. But we do get a better explanation throughout it and episode 2 and that is where 1 big aspect really got on my nerves because they wanted to include historically accurate Dracula information to some regard. The order of the Dragon. I saw someone say its more historically accurate ( this Dracula) and that is where you need to understand, Dracula was part of the order and he died for it as well as for his country. The order of the dragon was dedicated to fighting the Turks, drive them out. Seeing it turned into this conspiracy to procure wealth and power is... very cliché and boring. I mean, Dracula hated selfish, greedy nobles, particularly the Boyer's ( nobles in Romania, Hungary etc etc) that is true. But this feels a bit meh. The whole conspiracy angle. Personal opinion nonetheless. Nr 2: As said, the whole plot centers around Dracula hunting greedy businessmen and women who got this organization and huge plans in mind. Pretty basic but sure. Now Dracula isn't alone doing this. He was brought back to life.... by Van Helsing.... and although I can certainly respect creative freedom and all that, I think that one was too god damn far a stretch. And really messed up the chances for Dracula doing 1 thing, the greedy conspirators doing another and Van Helsing hunting Dracula at the very same time, allowing for some interesting, classic moments of arch enemies fighting. Instead he's responsible for the whole plan actually. Making small alterations to something original is cool. But if I was to change a sculpture by Michelangelo completely or re-draw the Mona Lisa, that would certainly raise a few eyebrows. Changing Van Helsings ENTIRE character... is pretty damn radical. I'll say this. if you can give it a chance, accept it's very very innate re-thought ideas you might enjoy it. I for one, being a great admirer of the Dracula Franchise am going to try because as my list points out. There are more pros than cons to me as of this review. Maybe that will change. But I felt I had to add my personal gripes and thoughts because I see a lot of reviews here not truly talking about what needs to be said. Mysterious, dark, Gothic, but beautiful, dramatic and well portrayed. Creative for sure. Too much for some, which I can absolutely understand. Especially as a fan of Stokers original.Update: Okay. Finished the whole season and Ill say this. Its a very good show. But unfortunately it begins to return more to Stokers original concept by the end as all the order members end up mostly dead. Problem being, series died... Anyway, Dracula wins. then Van Helsing considers picking up his old hobby and Harker probably joins him. But... yeah. It's unfortunate because it feels like this whole 1st season could have been a fast prologue. And things REALLY would have been amazing in season 2. Doing more of what I spoke of above. Too bad. I really want to see more. I believe they shot themselves in the foot by making such a weak main plot The business angle is quite boring. Well. Maybe we'll see it return in the future. Stokers novel was ALWAYS about Dracula and Mina. Never about some alternative agenda. That is where this series makes a mistake that, possibly, ended up costing it its life. 8 out of 10 all together. Very good and FULL of potential. But it unfortunately had a direction going that could have been entirely skipped. Or lasted around 2-3 episodes. Not an entire season. Most of them being around 7/ 10. Its a good series. But they made a main plot out of fluff and it resulted in a too weak 1st season for non- die hard fans.

comicswhore Honestly this show was amazing. Jonathan Rhys Meyers did a fantastic job of portraying Dracula and they seamlessly incorporated some of the features from the book into his character. The show was also very well written, with plenty of suspense, mystery and chemistry between the characters. The cinematography, costumes and set design was breathtaking as well. I watched when it aired and was recently thinking back on it when I was watching a different vampire flick. Obviously, I'm not alone in my fandom, as this is a 7+/10 on the review scale here. It's such a shame NBC ignored that and canceled it without even giving a second season or more closure to the story. I was so disappointed that I haven't watched any NBC shows ever since. So in conclusion, I highly recommend this series- but just to warn you, at the end of the one and only season, you'll be bummed there isn't more to come.

Eunice Khoo It would be a lie if i said i am not watching just because Jonathan Meyers is starring in Dracula. The plot of the story does bring fresh plots to the table of having a modern day Dracula in comparison to what we are used to watching. The romance between Dracula and IIona is captivating, intense and worth flipping from episodes to episodes. The twist in love triangle between hunters and vampires is intriguing as it says the best hiding place is really to be near your enemies. To keep your friends closer but your enemies even closer. I can say as much good reviews about this work but at the end of the day it is really up to your taste in films to judge is this worth your time.

j-menzies I admit, this show was a slow burner. I originally started watching it for one reason - Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He is unmatched in his beauty, and always superb. It took a couple of episodes before I began to get into it. But by the third episode I was captivated, and completely drawn into Alexander's dark and intriguing world. The show has a lot of tension and drama, which comes from several sources. Firstly is 'The Order of The Dragon', with whom Alexander/Dracula is locked in an ongoing battle of wits (and violence), as they pursue their mission to find and destroy him and his kind. The main leader of this group is Lady Jayne Wetherby (Victoria Smurfitt) and she and Alexander engage in a cat and mouse game filled with manipulation and f**king. Jayne is ruthless and cruel in her role as the Huntress, but her relationship with Alexander allows us to see her more vulnerable side. Her desire for him (and to retain her sense of youth) cause her to become blinkered to the truth of his identity and his lack of feelings for her. The second source of tension comes from the deep, obsessional love Dracula has for medical student, Mina Murray (Jessica De Gouw). From the moment he sees her he is captivated, as she is the double/reincarnation of his one true love, Ilona, who was burnt at the stake centuries previously by The Order. Her character is clearly the polar opposite to Jayne. She is kind, shy, vulnerable, and at the peak of her beauty. In her, Alexander sees a chance for love and the kind of life he has never been able to have. This love, and his desire to avenge Ilona's death, become the prime motivation for everything he does. He hires her fiancée, Jonathan (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) to work for him, so that he can keep Mina within his orbit. And in a quest to overcome his body's adverse reaction to sunlight, he recklessly pushes Professor Van Helsing to develop (and test on him) a special, yet dangerous serum. Although Van Helsing carries out these demands, he is secretly plotting his own special brand of revenge on The Order, in opposition to Dracula.Whilst Mina loves Jonathan, she finds herself inexplicably (to her mind) drawn to Alexander. This attraction does not go un-noticed by her fiancée, or The Order, who cunningly use it to their advantage. They manipulate and recruit Jonathan, promising him the chance of revenge on Alexander. His jealousy causes his character to change for the worse, as he becomes enraged and desperate to hold onto the woman he loves.The sub-plot involves Mina's best friend, Lucy, (Katie McGrath) who is secretly in love with Mina, and inadvertently makes an enemy of Alexander/Dracula as a result. This is a crime for which she pays a heavy price. (This turn of events, in particular, would provide a fascinating new storyline for a second series.)All of these stories are expertly interwoven in a clever and subtle manner. It is a grown up, stylish, and intelligent show, which never veers into the hammy, camp territory of some previous Dracula incarnations. The sets, costumes and cinematography are visually stunning. And the actors are all brilliant, especially Rhys Meyers, who portrays a very complex character with apparent ease. His character would be almost entirely unlikable, if not for his relationship with Mina. She brings out qualities in him which are otherwise absent - warmth, love, a fierce loyalty and protectiveness. The fact that he possesses these qualities, seems to be as much of a surprise to Alexander (and his inner circle) as it is to us. Therefore he struggles to control them rationally. Whenever he looks at Mina we see a deep longing, and a vulnerability in those otherwise steely eyes. And in those moments, one would almost mistake him for human.