Robert Eggers shoots films beautifully, captures the time periods perfectly, and draws out incredible performances from basically every actor he selects...you can tell he made
Nosferatu with a genuine love for the original film. I wouldn't be shocked if it becomes a definitive Dracula story for generations too young to recall/appreciate Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
But I feel like some of Eggers' flaws have gotten more pronounced with each movie...at least the issues I have with his movies. I love a good slow burn, but this
really had a bit of drag to it. Way too much is happening in the world of Nosferatu for the film to feel so uneventful in places.
Despite that, it feels like key scenes must have been left on the cutting room floor at times. So, characters' deteriorating states kinda pop up out of nowhere. I'm worried that some character choices only made sense because I'm familiar with the source material rather than the film earning the switch-ups. I got this exact disjointed vibe from the Northman. Character development skips a few steps. But that's a sacrifice that allows Eggers to plot out damn near every scene like its own short film.
It's a good movie, beautifully shot. But I don't think Eggers has come close to topping the Witch, and I'm not sure that I'll rate this above the Lighthouse upon rewatching them side-by-side.