Tag Archives: Universal Horror

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER horror movie review

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Fangtastic! Universal meets Hammer horror in a gothic tale that explores what may have happened on the domed Demeter carrying one thirsty passenger. While seemingly most contemporary horror movies take place in the real world, The Last Voyage of the Demeter transports us back in time to a fantastical world full of sailing vessels, ominous castles, and terrifying folklore. More than a backdrop on which the story unfolds, the atmosphere and sets are characters in and of themselves. If the gothic setting wasn’t enough, the score will certainly wrap you in the nightmare of this movie. If you love classic horror, this is right up your alley as it’s in the same ‘vein’ as such foundational early to mid 20th century horror motions pictures including Nosferatu and Dracula and even late 20th century horror pictures like the original Alien. While it remains to be seen if this is Universal’s second attempt at the defunct Dark Universe, between this movie and the Universal Monsters last at Epic Universe theme park (still under construction), the manner in which this movie ends certainly lends credence to an attempt to revive the dead Dark Universe.

After accepting mysterious cargo from an anonymous customer, the crew of The Demeter experience horrific events aboard the doomed sailing vessel as it makes it way from the harbors beneath the Carpathian Mountains to London.

Neither Bram Stoker, F.W. Murnau, nor Carl Laemmle included much information on the doomed voyage of the Demeter after it left the harbor beneath the Carpathian Mountains. All we know is that mysterious cargo (which we know is the coffin and/or dirt belonging to Count Dracula/Orlak) is dropped off and only the ghost of a ship arrives in London. And that’s the beauty of this movie, the filmmakers only needed to begin and end in the right places. Therefore, everything that unfolds on the ship is pure speculation and imagination. When adapting an existing IP, this is how it should be done. And while this is the best example in recent years of how to find new stories within an existing IP, Disney did something similar with Rogue One, which is my favorite in the Disney Wars movie universe.

We already know The Demeter and crew aboard are doomed, so the charm or terror in this movie isn’t what’s ultimately going to happen–rather–how is it going to happen. And director André Øvredal and writer Bragi Schut Jr. do an excellent job at making the events captivating and even surprising. No one is safe on the sailing cargo vessel, and I do mean no one. Our storytellers craft a narrative that is completely inspired by the past writings and movies yet it takes the story of Dracula to new levels, most of which I appreciate, though there are some elements of the story that I feel are not in line with established vampire lore.

Without getting into spoilers, it’s difficult to discuss what I would like to bring to to the discourse; however, I’d be remiss if I didn’t convey that there is a character we know from nearly all iterations of Dracule or Nosferatu that appears to be setup, but it’s never delivered. Without knowing the direction Universal is going with this movie, I must say that this was a missed opportunity to organically bring this character into what appears to be a relaunch of the Dark Universe.

Both Universal and Hammer horror are being channeled in this newest Dracula movie! You have the gothic stylings of early Universal horror coupled with the amped violence of Hammer horror. Working together, this two distinctly stylistic expressions of horror are used effectively in the crafting of the aesthetic and tone of this movie. Further evidence of the inspiration taken from early Universal and Hammer horror can be witnessed in the haunted house upon the sea concept. I am also reminded of Alien when I think of the setting, the claustrophobia, and the no escape dynamics of this movie. In Alien, it was a Xenomorph in space where “no one can hear you scream,” except we are in a sailing vessel at sea where no one can hear you scream.

As a huge horror fan, especially of the classics, I am eager to see where this movie takes Universal horror. Usually, I am not a fan of starting a franchise (when it is intentionally started), but this movie demonstrates that Universal may have learned its lesson from the failed launch of the last Dark Universe. I definitely see potential in this return to classic Universal monsters, and am along for the ride.

Ryan teaches Film Studies and Screenwriting at the University of Tampa and is a member of the Critics Association of Central Florida and Indie Film Critics of America. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog! Interested in Ryan making a guest appearance on your podcast or contributing to your website? Send him a DM on Twitter. If you’re ever in Tampa or Orlando, feel free to catch a movie with him.

Follow him on Twitter: RLTerry1 and LetterBoxd: RLTerry

“FREAKY” Horror Movie Review

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Friday the 13th meets Freaky Friday in the no-holds-barred, feel good horror movie of the year! Universal Pictures has certainly gone back to its horror roots in 2020. In February, it gave us The Invisible Man and on Friday the 13th of November, it gives us FREAKY. Writer-director Christopher Landon, who gave us many horror movies including Happy Death Day and Disturbia, delivers a refreshing horror movie filled with inventive kills, a fun plot, and frisky characters. Everything that you love about 80s slashers is here in this love letter to the horror subgenre that still brings friends together today. Funny how horror movies–movies filled with that which would repulse us in real life–have the opposite effect of promoting inclusiveness and community. And it’s that sense of community that separates horror, specifically the slasher, from other film genres. There was a magic in the decade of 80s horror that continues to greatly influence content creators and fans today. Landon knew this, and channeled so much of what made the slasher take the world by storm into this movie. While FREAKY is an entertaining movie regardless, it will be the nods to movies such as Friday the 13th, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Child’s Play that will inevitably bring about the nostalgic thrill ride that Landon carefully crafted! Starting out as a masked killer, Vince Vaughn soon delivers the laughs as he captures every nuance of a mousey, bullied teenage girl trapped in a middle-aged man’s body. Likewise, Kathryn Newton perfectly captures a notorious slasher trapped inside a teenage girl’s body. Perhaps FREAKY is a little lite on the lessons learned from the body swap achieved through a Child’s Play-like mystic ritual, but Newton’s Millie does learn confidence. From the opening, that’s clearly an homage to the shock of SCREAM, through the hijinks and antics to the climactic ending, there is something for everyone in this movie–especially for geeky horror fiends like myself!

A mystical, ancient dagger causes a notorious serial killer to magically switch bodies with a 17-year-old girl. (IMDb)

That’s it. Simple, right? Some of the best movies of all time have simple plots and complex characters. Okay, so FREAKY may not have incredibly complex characters, but what it lacks in dimension, it makes up in a diverse cast plus doubling down on its identity as a genre film. Horror movies have long since been the most progressive of all the genres, and Landon keeps this value alive in his latest movie. Even before mainstream movies began including strong female characters, critiquing toxic jock culture, and including non-parodied LGBT+ characters, horror was a leader in inclusion and diversity. Has it too evolved over the years, of course; but my point is that it’s always been the leader. Using a reimagination of Freaky Friday as a slasher as the foundation, the movie is able to get incredibly creative with the conflict, character dynamics, and the kills! It is unlikely that any of these kills will make Top 10 lists one day, but they are mostly homages to past kills from tentpole horror movies. Is the plot predictable? Yes. But does that take away from the entertaining factor? Definitely not. This movie knows what it is, and delivers the laughs and squeamish winces in spades! Predictable as the plot may be, it is not without its unique twists and turns. I appreciate how those that are killed by either THE Blissfield Butcher or Murder Barbie are bullies in one way or another. Perhaps this movie doesn’t go very deep, but it’s certainly a cautionary tale on the deadly consequences of direct and indirect bullying and assault.

If you go into this movie wanting something completely new, then you’re going in with the wrong attitude. If you want to see a new twist on a foundational part of horror cinema, then you’ve come to the right movie! It’s been quite a while since there has been such an unapologetically fun movie in cinemas, and this is precisely the antidote to uplift the geeky horror spirit!

PS. Can we please stop using the Mystic Falls (Covington, GA) town square from Vampire Diaries in every movie that needs a small town? At least this time, I couldn’t make out the Mystic Grill in the background like I could in Doctor Sleep.

Ryan teaches screenwriting and American cinema at the University of Tampa. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog! Interested in Ryan making a guest appearance on your podcast or contributing to your website? Send him a DM on Twitter or email him at RLTerry1@gmail.com! If you’re ever in Tampa or Orlando, feel free to catch a movie with or meet him in the theme parks!

Follow him on Twitter: RLTerry1