'Renfield' - Movie Review

"Renfield" is a character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. This movie riffs on that character and his difficult relationship with Dracula, which we find in this movie extends to the modern day. Renfield is played by Nicholas Hoult, who has grown horrified of the depredations of his master Dracula. But he's a familiar: it grants him some power, but not nearly that of Dracula and he cannot escape. In his hunt for food for Dracula, he starts attending meetings for people struggling with codependent relationships. From there, he gets tangled up with a morally perfect cop with rage issues (Awkwafina) and both he and Dracula decide to move on from their relationship. But ending it isn't easy.

The movie is massively absurd, thoroughly blood-spattered, and (of course) includes a ludicrously over-the-top performance from Nic Cage. Actually, there are no non-over-the-top performances in this movie ... but nobody tops Cage, which kind of makes the others look almost ordinary. The movie doesn't get far beyond the basic premise I've already outlined, but if you're up for a bloodbath horror-comedy, this is entertaining enough to do the job.