Renfield

Image credit: dvdreleasedates.com

It was Buffy the Vampire Slayer who famously said to Dracula, ‘don’t you think I watch your movies, you always come back’ and no truer words have been said when it comes to cinematic appearances from the Prince of Darkness. Indeed the story of the vampiric Count Dracula and the band of heroes who set out to destroy him is one of the most retold tales in cinematic history, and we’ve had a number of piggyback films and character spinoffs that feature many of the characters: Van Helsing in Van Helsing, Mina Harker in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for example. But that’s the heroes, what about the villainous sidekicks?

Enter Nicholas Hoult and Nicholas Cage in a charming and very funny modern exploration into the timeless characters in Chris McKay’s spoof comedy, Renfield, which is the first film that Partner and I chose to ring in the new year with.

Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) has been the dutiful servant of Count Dracula (Nicholas Cage) for decades, but has recently begun thinking about what a life away from the Count could be. Attending support meetings for people in toxic relationships, initially as a means of getting victims for his master, Renfield discovers that his and Dracula’s relationship is one of the most toxic there is and he determines to take back his power and break his dependency once and for all. But this becomes a little tricky as a zealous cop starts to follow Renfield’s hunting trail.

The premise of the film alone is very funny, fresh, and just delightful. A simple and silly modern B-movie that exists to remind us that movies don’t always have to be serious or artistic masterworks; some people make them purely for the fun. And that’s what Renfield is, it’s just fun. The story is sweet and uplifting with the added quirk of the hero being a celebrated literary villain’s henchman. While there is a fair amount of violence, it’s not particularly realistic and this plays further into the idea that this movie was made purely for the fun, achieving a number of grossed out giggles.

But it’s the performances that make the film so lovely. Nicholas Hoult is an absolute delight: charming, endearing, and sweet with a brilliant sense of comedic timing that carries the movie perfectly. Nicholas Cage, you could tell, was having a ball as Dracula; opting for the grandiose gestures and dramatic melancholy that many of his vampiric predecessors favoured. Awkwafina, in a fun twist, brings bite and a bit of seriousness to the otherwise hilarious cast as the zealous cop with something to prove.

Image credit: nme.com

Filled with inspiring messages about self-worth, schlock violence and ridiculous fight sequences, a clever and fun script, and a cast that were absolutely having a ball, Renfield is a delightful modern B-movie that’s perfect for a mindless night in.

Director: Chris McKay, 2023

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Nicholas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Brandon Scott Jones, Adrian Martinez, James Moses Black, & Camille Chen

Accessibility: At time of writing, Renfield is available on Netflix (AU)