The time had finally come. Lena drove over to Skokie, Illinois to pick up Ruby. The two set off to watch Nosferatu. With popcorn and slushy in hand, together the two took on the scariest vampire movie of the year. Sidenote: They are both easily scared and often enjoy the luxury of covering their eyes during tense scenes. Nevertheless, Nosferatu earned a solid three stars.

In terms of acting, iconic nepo-baby Lily-Rose Depp stunned in her role as Ellen Hutter. Depp’s acting was spectacular and sticks out as a highlight of the film. In general, the movie’s acting earns A-pluses all around. Ellen’s husband, played by Nicholas Hoult, did a great job of capturing pure fear and terror. I felt comforted by his chilled demeanor, as I felt no longer alone in my feelings. Willem Dafoe, I love you. Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz wouldn’t have been the same without you. You are always a pleasure to watch, and you play crazy old men so well. No one is out here doing it like you.

In terms of production, Nosferatu bit into success. Color (or lack thereof) was used so artfully in this film. The lack of saturation and use of grayscale created such a moody, gothic vibe that left Lena and I shivering in our boots. The sets were stunning, with Count Orlock’s castle being my favorite. With gaping walls and a cold, mountainous setting, I too felt isolated and utterly fearful.

Nosferatu isn’t for everyone. The film is extremely niche. For me, certain aspects of Nosferatu’s plot are lost on me. For example, I didn’t love the odd sexual scenes. They often didn’t fit into the story and usually felt perverted, offensive, and distasteful. I won’t elaborate on the content of these scenes, but it felt Sam Levinson-esque, in the sense that they seemed unnecessary, damaging, and traumatic.

My only other complaint? Nosferatu’s mustache. Aren’t you supposed to see a vampire’s fangs? 

Overall, I walked out feeling deeply unsettled and tense. For that, Nosferatu earns a 3/5.