MOVIE
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Director André Øvredal
Reviewer Ray Chan
It’s always difficult to build any element of surprise into a movie which viewers already know the outcome of.
And so it is with The Last Voyage of the Demeter, extrapolated from the “captain’s log” chapter of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, which dwells on the ill-fated journey of the schooner conveying the vampire’s coffin amongst its cargo of stock and spices.
Those familiar with the source material already know that the ending is going to be bleak. And even if they didn’t, the name of the production surely gives it away. The challenge then is to draw out the intrigue in what is pretty much a fait-accom-pic.
Set in the late 19th century, the oceanic passage is the final one for the ageing Captain Eliot before his retirement, who has assembled a ragtag crew for the trip, including a Black doctor (Clemens) whose presence is the cause of discomfit among some of the prejudiced deckhands.
After leaving Bulgaria for England, they discover an ailing stowaway (Anna) who Clemens insists upon nursing back to health against the crew’s wishes. She not only poses a threat to the crew’s rations, but, more importantly, seems to be too aware of another trespasser on board.
Dracula is alive, of course – as much as an undead creature can be – and craving sustenance, stealthily picks off the crew one by one during the dark of night, when he is protected from the deadly rays of the sun.
As the seafarers get increasingly spooked by the events, the gory attacks intensify, and eventually it becomes clear that a malevolent presence is on board.
Director André Øvredal crafts some intense frights from the film’s bleak and claustrophobic surroundings, with the dark and creaky vessel lending itself to a few effective jump scares.
But some horror scenes do strike the viewer in the face, particularly when Dracula’s victims, tainted by chiropteran blood, start to burn in the glare of the day. And no-one is safe, not even helpless women and children.
The antagonist is never clearly shown in the early scenes, reflecting the mystery behind the attacks. The audience only gets to see the Nosferatu-esque form at the same time as the surviving crew members do when they confront the creature.
In this respect, it’s a bit of a disappointment. The bat-like visage does little to strike any sort of fear in an audience well-used to and weary of such CGI creations. As a shapechanger, the Count could easily have taken on the appearance of his victims, adding to the effectiveness of his subterfuge as well as the overall suspense of the film.
Both Clement and Anna play important roles in the story, serving as anchors for the narrative to evolve, but ultimately, Last Voyage of the Demeter doesn’t yield much character development nor thematic complexity beyond the minimal expository requirements as it builds toward its reveal.
The film’s conclusion hints at possible future adventures. But once again, if you've read the book, you know where this is going.
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