Period horror maestro Robert Eggers conducts a new Symphony of Horror with “Nosferatu”, a brilliantly assured remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 German classic of the same name. Written and directed by Eggers, this devilish dive into Gothic horror features most of the filmmaker’s well established trademarks along with a perfectly tuned cast who fully submerge themselves in the grim and macabre world Eggers painstakingly recreates.

While this modern adaptation distinguishes itself from the over century-old original, Eggers goes to great lengths to stay true to its predecessor. He embraces the same time period, setting, and characters although he adds a lot more depth and detail to his story. The majority of his additions and extensions work exceptionally well while some (such as his vaguely explained sexualization of certain plot points) are a little harder to sort out. But Eggers has such a good grasp of the material which is evident in every stunning frame.

When it comes to developing atmosphere, tone management, and period immersion, few do it better than Robert Eggers. He nails all three in “Nosferatu”. Set in 1838, the film introduces us to newlyweds Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) who live in the bustling port town of Wisborg, Germany. Years earlier a younger Ellen had a terrifying encounter with a mysterious force. Afterwards she suffered with troubling dreams and bouts of melancholy. But those things went away when Thomas came into her life.

Hoping to build a good life for his wife, Thomas takes a job at a local real estate firm. Its owner, Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) tasks Thomas with meeting a prospective new client who wants to buy a retirement home in Wisborg. The sickly client is adamant that an agent come visit him in person. The problem is he lives far away in an isolated castle in the Carpathian Alps. Knock throws in some extra incentive – if Thomas secures the account he will secure his position in the firm. And the client’s name – Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgård).

Despite Ellen’s pleas for him to stay, Thomas is determined to go. So he leaves his wife with their close friends Frederick (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Anna Harding (Emma Corrin) and sets off on his arduous six-week trek. After an overnight stop at an eerie gypsy village, Thomas makes the final leg of his journey to the ominous castle perched high in the craggy mountains. What follows is Eggers at his very best.

Once inside the shadowy cavernous castle, Thomas meets the mysterious Count Orlock. Bill Skarsgård completely vanishes into the character, whose long jagged fingers, deep-set eyes, and bushy mustache go right along with his long enunciations, gravelly tone, and the death rattle in his breathing. Eggers doesn’t linger on the hideous Orlock, instead smartly keeping him at a distance, only giving us strategically staged glimpses which adds to the sinister nature of his presence.

I won’t spoil the details, but Thomas’ meeting with the Count doesn’t go as planned. He learns firsthand of Orlock’s craving for human blood and manages to escapes the castle. Orlock begins making his way to Wisborg with his evil sights set on Ellen. In the meantime, Ellen’s nightmares return and intensify, causing Frederick to summon Dr. Wilhelm Siever (Ralph Ineson). Fearing there is something beyond science causing Ellen’s problems, Siever reaches out to the disgraced Professor Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) who specializes in the occult.

With all his players in place, Eggers begins methodically moving us through his grim phantasmagoric tale. Plague-carrying rats, unexplained madness, and shocking deaths all help pave the way towards a looming supernatural showdown. It’s all visualized through the breathtaking cinematography of Jarin Blaschke, easily among the year’s best, and accompanied by composer Robin Carolan’s bone-chilling chords. From pacing to presentation, “Nosferatu” keeps us glued to the screen and squirming in our seats.

“Nosferatu” is a movie with a deep reverence for Murnau’s seminal classic. But it’s also undeniably a Robert Eggers film as seen in the technical craft, brooding atmosphere, and fascinating worldbuilding. As always, he directs with an assured hand, trusting his wonderfully morbid vision over lazy jump scares or tired gimmicks. And as he’s unnerving us, subtle but effective themes of obsession and repression seep through to the surface. It’s yet another stroke of genius that places Eggers into a creative category all his own.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS