While nothing spectacular, Renfield shows real affection for its source material and plays with its roots enough to stand comfortably on its own two feet.
Renfield is as chaotically fun as a Nicolas Cage vampire movie sounds. Based on characters from Bram Stoker’s original novel, our focus is not Dracula, who is delightfully played by Cage, but Dracula’s assistant, Renfield (Nicholas Hoult). Having recently relocated himself and Dracula to New Orleans, Renfield is starting to regret his life choices as a lackey to the prince of darkness. During his stay, he meets police officer Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), who is investigating a city mob, and Renfield falls in love. At this point, the film becomes a whirlwind of cop drama, romance, and horror-comedy, all against the backdrop of Nicolas Cage sucking people’s blood.
The movie doesn’t really need an introduction. If the thought of Nicolas Cage going full ham in his portrayal of one of the most recognisable horror figures of all time sounds like fun, Renfield will deliver. It’s clearly very fond of the source material, from Stoker’s work to the Universal Monster era and Hammer Horror. Yet by setting it in a modern urban area like New Orleans, the film sets itself up for interesting commentary and amusing gags.
As a comedy, the film works because the humour comes from the character dynamics and the playful teasing of a range of Dracula trademarks. One of the funniest moments is a visual joke involving Renfield’s welcome mat, which causes a loophole in the vampiric condition of being invited in. However, the film fundamentally recognises that complete servitude and the codependency that comes with that are unhealthy. The jokes are not at the expense of this, but rather at the lengths some will go to maintain this faux sense of security. As the characters react with bafflement to each other’s circumstances, we laugh with them, creating an ironically warm feeling despite the death and bloodletting surrounding us.
Awkwafina as Rebecca in Renfield, directed by Chris McKay.
Through characterisation and comedy, the film’s themes become apparent. Beyond having fun with itself, the movie is about individuality and redemption. Renfield’s past fuels his despair and ultimately challenges him to reconsider who he wants to be. Through the therapy sessions he attends, we gain insight into the narcissism that forms a character as famous as Dracula. It’s part of why we love great villains, but it also reveals the things and relationships people latch onto to survive life’s storms.
While never poorly written, the story is a tad cluttered with Renfield, Rebecca, Dracula and a mob plot to juggle, and that’s without the potential side plot within the police force itself. The film focuses primarily on Renfield, as it should, but that means Cage’s scenery-chewing is occasionally relegated to the background. As Cage was central to the marketing drive, this could lead to a slight sense of disappointment. Furthermore, as intriguing as its observations on codependency are, the film separates Renfield and Dracula for long stretches, meaning its themes are not always pushed to the forefront.
Nicholas Hoult as Renfield in Renfield, directed by Chris McKay.
However, you will undoubtedly feel satisfied if you are here purely for entertainment or an enjoyable horror comedy. The gore and violence are cartoonish, which benefits the tone, while the prosthetics are remarkable. The makeup is one of the film’s strongest attributes, while the fast editing and lively music maintain a real sense of kinetic energy. But it’s Cage who completely steals every scene he’s in. Hoult and Awkwafina are funny, too, but they keep the film grounded when it wishes to explore its characterisation or themes. The rest of the time, Cage is utterly unhinged with a performance that borders on hyperbole. While Cage isn’t used as much as he could be, he still makes the film worth a trip to the cinema.
Add it all up, and you get a horror comedy that’s fun and deeper than you might imagine. While nothing spectacular, Renfield shows plenty of affection for its source material and is playful enough with its roots to stand comfortably on its own two feet. Funny, well-crafted, and deliciously entertaining, Renfield isn’t short on bite.
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