Sorry Robert Eggers Fans but the ‘Nosferatu’ Remake Was Unnecessary

Robert Eggers has become an extremely recognizable name in the horror community, especially among fans of so-called “elevated horror,” having risen to prominence as a writer and director with his first two feature-length projects, The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019). He had experience prior to this with short films, but it was the premiere of The Witch that really introduced him to audiences and cemented his place as a popular horror creator.

His latest film, Nosferatu, was released in theaters on December 25th, 2024. This new project is a reimagining of the original 1922 German silent film of the same name — it’s a large-scale, high-budget recreation and expansion of the original story, in which Eggers attempts to create his own epic folktale from the material. But for fans of classic cinema, and of the original Nosferatu in particular, the question remains — is this new version necessary?

Eggers’s ‘Nosferatu’ Is Based on the 1922 Movie, Which Is Based on Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’

The original Nosferatu is 102 years old, having been made in 1922 in Germany, and is already widely considered a masterpiece of cinema and of the horror genre – having ushered in the movement known as German Expressionism and creating the vampire film as we know it today.

The original film was the result of director F.W. Murnau not being allowed the rights to adapt Bram Stoker’s Dracula directly. When he was denied the rights to that story, he decided to create his own version — an unofficial adaptation, in which enough was changed to hopefully avoid any legal issues. It tells the story of Thomas Hutter, a young man desperate to make something of himself in the world, who goes to Transylvania at the behest of his employer to deal with a new client, Count Orlok.

The rest of the story deals with Hutter’s odd interactions with Orlok, his slow realization that there’s something very amiss with this new client, the sleepwalking and terrible visions of his wife, Ellen, back in Germany, and the eventual terror that strikes the fictional town of Wisborg when Count Orlok reaches its shores and starts killing people indiscriminately. The film is ultimately the story of Thomas and Ellen’s quest to kill Orlok and put an end to his reign of terror, a quest that ultimately leads to Ellen sacrificing herself to save the world.

The original film is certainly a fantastic example of Gothic horror and German Expressionism, but it was also very much a critique of Germany at the time of its creation. It had a lot to say about capitalism and nationalistic attitudes that were, according to the men behind the film’s creation, prevalent in the early 20th century and were what led to WWI. It was a highly personal and political film for all those who worked hard to make it, and the end product has lasted the test of time, still being discussed, analyzed and revered after 100 years.

The Remake Has Less Depth Than the Original

This new version of the same story doesn’t add anything half as interesting to the subtext of the film as the 1922 version. There is a lack of depth that leaves the film feeling somewhat empty in comparison. This is especially true when you consider the criticism of capitalism in the original, and see just how capitalistic the remake itself has turned out to be – with many parts of the film’s advertising and marketing having to do with selling merchandise such as popcorn buckets and replica coffin beds.

It’s obvious that this film had a budget and a major studio behind it, but sometimes, especially in horror, that sort of budget and support is more of a hindrance than a help. There is a beauty and effectiveness in simplicity, as well as a deep foreboding and terror in what the audience is not shown, and that is sorely lacking in this adaptation of the classic vampire story. Arguably, it was the restraint and stark nature of Eggers’ first two films – The Witch and The Lighthouse – that made them so beloved in the horror, and specifically the “elevated horror,” community. These two films were harsh, bleak movies that focused on a small cast of characters in isolated settings. It was these confined, secluded spaces, and the deep exploration of the characters within them that made these movies compelling.

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Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ is a remake of an influential silent German film from 1922. How do the two movies differ?

Nosferatu (2024) is atmospheric, aesthetically gorgeous and beautifully shot – but there is little substance beneath the stylized visuals. It has all the elements of a good Gothic horror movie, but it fails to display much of anything beyond the surface or to have its own perspective beyond its beautiful facade, and therefore it fails to justify its own existence. Most of what was added in to separate it from the original Nosferatu boils down to adding in more explicit violence and nudity and to sexualize Orlok’s acts of feeding as well as his relationship with Ellen.

Although there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these additions, it hardly feels like enough to sustain an entire movie. It is a perfectly fine and serviceable example of atmospheric horror, but it is not anything groundbreaking or particularly interesting within the genre. Ultimately, there is little to nothing in Nosferatu (2024) that feels unique, as if it couldn’t have been made by a number of other horror directors.

So Was ‘Nosferatu’ (2024) Really Necessary?

Many moviegoers seem to have thoroughly enjoyed it, heaping it with praise and leaving it with an 85% approval rating on RottenTomatoes and 78% on Metacritic. For fans of this new version of an older story, it’s almost never a bad thing to enjoy or love a movie, and if this is your kind of movie, then more power to you. For fans of the original, however, or even those that found themselves slightly disappointed after watching the highly anticipated remake, this version of Nosferatu might feel pointless.

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‘Nosferatu’ Purposely Abandoned One Thing That Made the Original Movie So Iconic

The original version of ‘Nosferatu’ had its distinct look born out of the necessity of the times. Robert Eggers’ vision required a different touch.

For many, this constant barrage of remakes and reimaginings coming out of Hollywood can be frustrating, and this is yet another example of how remaking an already great film feels like a waste. Instead of adapting a great film that already exists, it seems like that same amount of passion and effort would be better put to use making something original — or at the very least, remaking something that had potential but was ultimately disappointing in an attempt to make it better.