Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu: A Beautiful Yet Detached Horror

It is even more obvious that Robert Eggers was the perfect guy to remake Nosferatu. First, he is a director with a unique style and something interesting to say. But just as important is how he brings the past to life—not just visually, but in a way that makes you feel it. He does not just show you history; he pulls you into its intensity, weight, and raw atmosphere.

Whether it is a 16th-century family getting kicked out of their community and struggling to survive in total isolation or two men slowly losing their minds on a storm-ravaged island, his films immerse you entirely. You do not just watch the biting cold, the eerie nights, and the creeping loneliness—you live it.

He also has a real talent for showing madness in a way that pulls us closer to the characters who are spiraling without trapping us inside their heads. Even the wildest, most unsettling moments in his films never feel like just hallucinations—they feel real, no matter how weird or terrifying they get. His movies hit you with gut-wrenching, almost punishing scenes that drive home how bleak things are. However, at the same time, this strange, almost irresistible pull keeps you watching. You want to look away, but you just cannot.

The story of Ellen Hutter, who unintentionally cursed herself years ago when she turned to supernatural forces in a desperate bid to alleviate her loneliness, is told in this 1838 German film. Her husband, Thomas, travels to the Carpathian Mountains to meet the terrifying and mysterious Count Orlok, who lives in eerie isolation in his crumbling castle. Neither of them realizes that by crossing paths with Orlok, they are not just putting themselves in danger—they are inviting something dark and deadly into their lives, a threat that could consume their entire town.

Beautiful compositions where every frame feels like a carefully crafted piece of art. The rich, humble textures of a lively yet gloomy town, whole of life but weighed down by a disturbing atmosphere. Then there is the oppressive, towering castle in a desolate, eerie landscape, surrounded by locals who laugh at the naive tourist but suddenly freeze in fear when Orlok’s name is mentioned.

It is the kind of film that sticks with you long after watching it, making you think about it randomly like it still lingers. That eerie presence made The Witch stand out, and it feels absent here.

Another film by Eggers, The Lighthouse, is a true masterpiece—it is like the perfect mix of harsh reality and fantasy. It is a dark comedy that slowly drags its two main characters into a real-life nightmare, a hell that only they can truly understand. The film is a wild ride, where the deeper they get trapped in their isolation, the more they start to lose touch with everything, even their sanity. The film’s tension development between them is fascinating and unsettling, like witnessing two individuals fall apart.

However, The Lighthouse is most notable for its psychic world, which is so full of atmosphere that it does not matter if everything that occurs at the end is real. The point is not about figuring out the “truth” of what happens but the experience itself.

The more you think about it after the credits roll, the more you realize just how much of the film is about the characters and what they go through mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. You will end up with more questions than answers, which makes it so brilliant.

The Lighthouse is like this intense, rough poem that hits you hard, just like The Witch does, though not with the same impact. Nosferatu, on the other hand, does not reach that level. Honestly, I do not know if the film was trying to. Either way, the movie is fun and entertaining from one scene to the next, but it does not have that unsettling or scary feeling that sticks with you. It is just interesting but not much more than that.

The disturbing moments do not hit as hard as in Eggers’ previous horror films. These moments are easy to predict, so they do not have much impact when they happen. Even if the movie makes you jump into the scarier scenes or maybe makes your heart race in other parts (which did not happen to me), those moments are rare. The fear does not have the same punch.

Moreover, if the movie is not trying to scare the audience, what is it trying to say? Well, in Ellen’s case, the film is all about this intense mix of lust and fear, with the poor woman cursed to be drawn to her death in a way that almost feels seductive. Orlok shows up to her as death itself, reaching out to her in a dream-like state, pulling her in with his cold, deadly grip, embracing her, and sinking his teeth into her, and for Ellen, it is almost like a twisted form of pleasure.

It is when she only wakes up that the absolute nightmare begins. She has to deal with these disturbing fantasies, especially since she is married to Thomas, someone she loves, and these moments of madness are slowly destroying everything in her life.

The disturbing visuals do a good job of preventing you from laughing at the wild, erotic nature of it all, but after a while, the shock value fades. Eggers gets too comfortable with the pattern, and it stops being as interesting.

On the other hand, Eggers hides Orlok in shadows, makes Bill Skarsgård, who is already tall, even taller, and does not give us much to understand about the vampire’s personality. There is a sense of mystery, but it also leaves you empty.

Eggers’ compositions do not have the same emotional impact as Herzog’s imagery. Herzog never tried to hide that he wanted to make the world in his film beautiful, and you can feel that in every frame. On the other hand, Eggers does not quite capture the same depth. As for the story, Herzog’s film leans too much on tone in the second half, relying on atmosphere to carry it.

Eggers takes an entirely different approach and, by doing so, turns a story with much potential into a well-made but standard horror film. You start to question whether it deserves to be called a “horror” film because there are few genuine scares. Still, it is the best word for it. Ellen is an interesting character to follow, but the rest of the cast does not have enough depth to make Nosferatu feel like a truly compelling drama.

It is a historical film focusing on making this long-gone world feel like it has been lived. You can see that Eggers is fully committed to capturing the period and giving it authenticity, and he does it well, just like he does in all his other films. The way he builds the world is imposing. However, there is a noticeable difference when you compare it to Herzog’s approach. Herzog’s compositions feel alive and dynamic, while in Eggers’ version, the energy only comes through with Ellen.

Although Nicholas Hoult does not get as much screen time or depth as Lily-Rose Depp or Skarsgård, he nails that pure fear expression every time the supernatural chaos hits. Thomas is a strong emotional anchor for the audience, making it easy to feel bad for his helplessness and despair when he is up against something he cannot understand or fight. However, when the movie ends, Thomas almost feels like an afterthought. On the other hand, Werner Herzog had a clever way of incorporating his version of Thomas into the film’s ending, making the character’s role feel significant.

Throughout Nosferatu, Eggers made the film by sticking to a set of rules only he knows. He does it well, but even though the film showcases his skill, it does not push boundaries or turn into a daring masterpiece. The film has intriguing and beautiful moments, but in the end, it feels distant and cold, especially for a story about emotions, passion, and desire. You can appreciate his craftsmanship, but it does not touch your heart like you would expect from a film with this theme.

References

• Betts, E.-J. (2022). Harry Styles Pulls Out of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Remake. The Digital Fix.
• Crow, D. (2022). Robert Eggers and Anya Taylor-Joy Still Planning Nosferatu Remake. Den of Geek.
• Eggers, R. (Director). (2015). The Witch [Film]. A24.
• Eggers, R. (Director). (2019). The Lighthouse [Film]. A24.
• Eggers, R. (Director). (2024). Nosferatu [Film]. Focus Features.
• Herzog, W. (Director). (1979). Nosferatu the Vampyre [Film]. Werner Herzog Filmproduktion.
• Murnau, F. W. (Director). (1922). Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror [Film]. Prana Film.