Renfield (2023) User Reviews

A pleasant surprise

[georgewhittingham1 · 7/10 · 21 April 2023]

This was an incredibly silly and fun movie that you really don't have to think too hard about.

The humour is arguably the best part of the film, and I had many laugh out loud moments. Nicholas Hoult delivers as our lead, Awkwafina plays exactly what you'd expect which suits the role well, but Nicholas Cage as Dracula is just fantastic. He hit the tone perfectly with this one, scary, funny, manipulative, honestly the perfect casting for this horror comedy.

It's not a perfect film, the action; whilst enjoyable, is at times incredibly difficult to follow exactly what us happening - which is a problem with a lot of movies now days. They're also some silly plot holes, as well as just not enough as Nick Cage as you'd like, but overall it really doesn't matter.

If you're looking for a horror comedy with some very gory and silly moments, you've come to the right place. Fans of Cage are going to love this one.

Over the top chaotic bloody and campy fun.

[sbweightman · 7/10 · 14 April 2023]

Over the top chaotic fun with buckets of blood and gratuitous violence. Both Cage as Dracula and Hoult as Renfield are superb with excellent acting and an authentic master/servant relationship.

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The plot wasn't as special as it could have been, but it's still pretty good and the moral message is well woven in between the frequent fast paced action scenes.

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Great special effects, makeup and use of music, but it did feel a bit of a mish-mash at times and there wasn't as much comedy as I was expecting.

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Overall, I would score this film as a seven out of ten.

Pulpy, fun and over the top in all the right ways

[nicolasroop · 7/10 · 13 April 2023]

I don't think anybody is going into Renfield thinking they're going to see an oscar winner. They're going in expecting a fun, comedic thriller about Dracula's servant, with an excellent Nicolas Cage performance. On that front Renfield delivers. The jokes are hilarious punches at the Dracula lore presented, the action is over the top and ridiculously bloody, and the story is servicable enough to satisfy. My only issue with the film is there are parts where the dialouge feels like it was written by a teenager and there are certain illogical plot holes that seemed to just be an issue as far as editing goes. If the filmmakers had just switched a few scenes around, they could've avoid that. They also show you a lot of the good scenes in the trailer, but there was still more fun to be had besides that stuff as well. Overall, an enjoyable experience that doesn't overstay it's welcome with a brisk 90 minute runtime. I would recommend this on Cage's performance alone, but the film also stood up on it's own as well.

3.5 victims out of 5.

Delivers plenty of fun

[ethanbresnett · 7/10 · 24 April 2023]

I wasn't necessarily expecting exceedingly high quality from Renfield, but I was expecting a lot of fun, and that's exactly what I got.

The plot is thoroughly entertaining, with great pacing and a fun set of characters. It's nothing particularly complex or mind blowing, but it has some creative ideas that are nice and engaging. The tone is all very tongue in cheek, which makes it actually decently funny, which I wasn't necessarily expecting so that was a treat.

The cast are superb. Nick Cage as Dracula, need I say anymore? He is obviously a triumph in the role. Nicholas Hoult is a great lead, and supporting roles from Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz are great fun.

Overall I think that word sums up the film perfectly. It's just a whole lot of fun.

Good to see you, Mr. Cage

[FeastMode · 6/10 · 13 April 2023]

Last year, Nick Cage starred in a major theatrically released movie for the first time in over a decade. It was the pleasant surprise, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. I love it. And I hoped it would be the movie to bring him back to prominence. (Not that he ever left ;)

So I was immediately excited to see a new Nick Cage movie, Renfield, in theaters. Not to mention I love vampires. And in many ways, this movie is exactly what I wanted. It's entertaining, over-the-top, and borderline outrageous. I laughed a bunch, both at the comedy and at the craziness/gore. There is one scene near the end that perfectly captures the absurd fun (at the apartment complex).

At the same time, those crazy and outrageous scenes make up a very small portion of this movie. And overall, it's not put together very well. The story doesn't feel smooth. Seems more... frantic. Same with the action. It's not bad, but it's a little... frantic. Same with the movie as a whole. I could tell as soon as it started. It's kind of... hectic.

I was still able to get a lot of enjoyment out of Renfield. Cage gives a great performance. Six stars is a positive score for me. I had a good time and I'll probably watch it again at some point. But for a theatrical Nick Cage vampire movie, I can't help but be a bit disappointed. I should have LOVED this.

On to the next. I was already watching most of his movies when they were low quality streaming movies. You better believe I'm watching all Cage theatrical movies. More crazy and weird stuff, please :)

(1 viewing, early screening 4/12/2023)

Cage's performance is worthy of a better film.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 14 April 2023]

I usually find Nicolas Cage's special brand of crazy either hugely entertaining (Face/Off, Mom & Dad) or gutwrenchingly awful (Willy's Wonderland, Mandy, Prisoners of the Ghostland), with not much middle ground. In Renfield, the star is on cracking form, his version of the iconic vampire being absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, this is a film about Dracula's familiar, Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), and so Cage doesn't get nearly enough screen time.

Most of the film sees Renfield attempting to break free of his master's control, while proving his worth to cop Rebecca (the awful Awkwafina, who is fast becoming a reason for me NOT to see a film); this involves the vampire's familiar taking on a gang of ruthless criminals led by a woman with a voice deeper than the Marianas Trench (Barry White sounds high-pitched by comparison). It's reasonably fun nonsense, largely thanks to the extreme level of violence (although the bad CGI gore is inexcusable), but with Cage stealing every scene he is in, one sincerely wishes that the film was all about Dracula and not his sappy assistant.

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for the bit where Renfield rips a guy's face off (or face.... off, as Cage would say).

Stupid fun

[TheNamelessCzar · 7/10 · 16 October 2023]

Renfield is a stupid, gory, bloody, funny mess. Not a horror by any means, it still satisfied my appetite for a little Halloween fun. I can't stand Awkafina in general as I find her annoying overall, and she had no chemistry with the lead. Nicholas Cage, however, is perfectly cast and awesome to watch. The dialogue is well-written, and the plot is silly sunlight to keep you entertained. Who would have thought that Dracula and his like would face many of the same relationship issues that so many of us mere mortals do in everyday life. Prepare to be grossed out, but also prepare to have a good time. A good 90 minutes spent.

A bloody good time

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 8/10 · 3 May 2023]

This film had every good thing going for it to be a surprisingly entertaining and fun popcorn flick. The comedy was spot on, the gore effects were nice and extreme, and all the casting and performances were excellent, especially Cage, who was perfect for the role. I wasn't sure about casting Awkwafina, but her chemistry and character were a great compliment to Nicholas Hoult's character. But the best part of this film, was the nice twist on the over-done Dracula/vampire genre. It was a refreshing and unique twist on a story we've seen done so many times before. My only complaint is that I wanted to see more of Cage in this film. Not sure if it's doable, but this could be a fun new film franchise if they can come up with more films using the same characters - and hopefully see more of Cage at his best.

All the right elements except for one

[morrisonproductions · 6/10 · 11 June 2023]

They had almost all the right players, all three lead actors bringing what each of their characters needed, and Robert Kirkman, one of the best contemporary horror writers, to create a great darkly comic horror movie . But they hired the wrong director. Chris McKay was too broad and over the top in his approach to several of the film's elements. Like corruption. Make everybody bad. Why are they bad? Because corruption. Why are they corrupt? Because they're bad. And the violence. When people die, make theirs a death with more blood than a human body can possibly contain. Why? Because it's funny. To whom? Someone surely. Well, not me. If you're going to make violence funny, and I'm good with that, the violence needs to be somewhat believable. It wasn't here. So much of this movie was 'too much' for the sake of being 'too much.' This needed a precise approach with a director that understood the material. It needed a Del Toro at the helm or someone brand new, like a Tim Burton circa early -90s eye with a Gareth Edwards Raid: Redemption touch.

But, all that speculating on what it could have been means nothing because it didn't happen and it won't happen. This movie flopped at the box office. No one's going to say, Hey, I see where we went wrong? Let's remake it into something better. That isn't how it works. They remake good movies into bad movies.

But all that said, this isn't a bad movie. I wasn't bored. I enjoyed Cage as I always do. And I saw Hoult in a new light. Before this, he hadn't done anything to give me much of an opinion about him higher than "fine." All the talk about him putting on the cape for Gunn's Superman Legacy has brought me no excitement for that movie, but he imbued a tenderness to Renfield that Superman will need. If he pulls his shoulders back, packs on some muscle, and sheds the boyishness he brings to most of his roles, I think he'd make a great Superman. Also, Renfield did have some really funny lines. I won't spoil it, but the best is Awkwafina"s right after she sees some hardcore carnage. I could have done without the nonsensical happy ending though

I didn't see it in the theater. I almost went, but the middling mreviews kept me home and I'm glad for that. I would have been down on the movie had I spent 20+ bucks to see it. As a watch on Peacock from home on a Sunday morning, it's fine, a smidge shy of good and the reason it just missed "good" is because of that nonsensical Deus Ex Machina ending. It's just unfortunate because it could have sickly and disturbingly great in hands with the skills and nuance to take it on.

Nic Cage Does Dracula

[johnnyhbtvs27 · 5/10 · 23 April 2023]

I really wanted to like this one, I really did. Renfield starts off promisingly enough with Nicolas Cage & Nicholas Hoult superimposed into Tod Browning's 1931 Dracula and delves into the Dracula mythos. All good fun.

Things take a turn when Awkwafina is introduced alongside a subplot about a dead cop dad and a gangster family called the Lobos. This is the movies biggest issue. I signed up to watch Nic Cage finally tackle Dracula. I got almost a supernatural buddy cop movie. Such a disappointment.

Hoult and Cage are great in their roles and it's a real pity they aren't used in a better film. Awkwafina is fine and can be used well in the right material but this isn't it.

There are some nice action scenes and some really funny moments, mostly involving Nicholas Hoult in his support group meetings (a real missed opportunity to be something more).

Gory yet endearing comedy horror

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 15 April 2023]

Renfield is a lot of fun, a fast paced 90 minute horror comedy that's diversions from its core idea are still funny and never on screen long enough to derail it. Underneath all the unapologetically over the top gore is a really heartwarming story about understanding and appreciating your own self worth.

Nicholas Hoult cements his skills at comedy with another really funny performance and Renfield's lack of confidence and journey to find it is just really endearing. Awkwafina is obviously equally strong when it comes to comedy and this role also offers a few dramatic moments as well.

Ben Schwartz adds another funny supporting performance to his resume, having definitely made up for Sonic 2 now. The best performance and strongest aspect of the whole film is easily Nicolas Cage as Dracula. He brings the Cage elements you expect whilst still having an intimidating presence. Even though he gets enough screen time, more Dracula would've been appreciated.

Chris McKay's direction is really good, the film may lack an overall style but he makes sure the film is generally stylish with well implemented slow motion, energetic and well shot fight scenes and the odd montage. Also, this and 2020s The Invisible Man prove the Dark Universe being cancelled before it could get off the ground was the best thing as these films are way more unique and interesting.

Was almost a B

[matt-01100 · 6/10 · 26 June 2023]

A fun and silly film that starts on a path to being a solid B Movie. That is until Awkwafina opens her mouth and tries acting again. I've never seen an actor that has no idea what to do with her hands as much as Awkwafina. Or her eyes.

The movie has lots of funny moments. It also does not care about reality and taps in on recycled plot points to carry the original storyline of making Refield the hero. But even when the entire police department openly working with the mob is 100× more realistic than Awkwafina "acting" like she's going to faint while standing up from a couch.

That and Nick Cage is hilarious.

expected nothing and was still disappointed

[ryan-44110 · 4/10 · 2 May 2023]

So the campy meter is going to hit some serious levels of intense here, and most are praising the movie for it, but there's a point where it starts to become more annoying than fun. This movie achieves that right about when they introduce Awkwafina as the co-lead and potential love interest? I don't know. I honestly can't stand any movie she's in as I know the performance will be amateurish at best and loaded with jokes that never seem to land. Cage does an ok role as dracula but this is basically a motivational film for people trapped in abusive relationships who can't seem to escape. Nice message and all, but it could've been executed better. I don't end up feeling anything at all for the characters, and thus their struggles/plights never resonate or land either. I knew from the trailers that it was going to be mediocre, but this actually made me exclaim aloud "damn, that was awful."

Only for Real fans of Nick Cage !

[InterMedia-1221 · 1 April 2023]

I'am here for Cage (like most of fans, the key reason for watching this movie) and i'm gonna rate the performance of Nick Cage.

Nick is just phenomenal, born to do his job doesn't matter the environment or position where he is !! He is here without any complains doing his job. You can see in every movie he gives his best outta him, even if the movie was bad or low budget stuff. Nick has done it everytime along his hard financial times he knows to do on the right way to entertain his audience.

Renfield is worth to watch if you're here for Nick Cage, The Unbearable weight of massive Talent was great comeback, i just hope he continues his form on the highest level.

Cage is great. Awkwafina is terrible.

[degrees-33365 · 6/10 · 4 May 2023]

This rating would had been two more stars had it not been for that talentless hack Awkwafina (wtf name is that anyway). She constantly plays the same type of character and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Cage does great though.

This rating would had been two more stars had it not been for that talentless hack Awkwafina (wtf name is that anyway). She constantly plays the same type of character and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Cage does great though.

This rating would had been two more stars had it not been for that talentless hack Awkwafina (wtf name is that anyway). She constantly plays the same type of character and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Cage does great though.

There Will Be Blood...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 6 May 2023]

A coercive controller sucks all your lifeblood, takes you to the depths and leaves you lying in the mud, impossible to disconnect, has you hanging by the neck, you could do with a stake, from a nice bit of wood. To get out of this cage, and call it a halt, you quaff lots of bugs, to give you a short bolt, to recover the power, to outstare the glower, but whatever you do, you're still under assault. Then with the help of some friends, who have similar stories, you establish a way to escape all your furies, creating a circle, to remove the immortal, with a result that leaves you, entering new territories.

It's deeper than you think but I'm not sure it's intentional.

A Weird Mix of Genre That Doesn't Amount To Much in The End

[cdjh-81125 · 6/10 · 14 April 2023]

A really weird concoction of a lot of different genre that I kind of have to admire for taking a Dracula/Renfield story in a direction you wouldn't expect but in the end I just think it amounts to a lot of mediocrity because that story they chose was just so weak.

It's basically 3 movies in one and everything to do with Nicolas Cage giving a perfectly hammy performance as Dracula I really liked but in addition to that it also takes the direction of being a crime/mob thriller and a pretty generic one at that and all of the rom com stuff I just couldn't have cared less about.

I love myself a good amount of blood and gore in my action movies and Renfield delivers that in spades so whenever there was a fight scene I was at least entertained. I really liked the central trio of Cage, Hoult and Awkwafina and I suppose the central message of the movie is a valid one but it's so broad it feels childlike in its approach and I can hardly imagine people taking their kids to a movie like this.

Maybe I'm overthinking it a bit because the film was fun enough time but I just thought the filmmakers wasted their perfectly cast Dracula on a script that doesn't know what it wants to be and I can't help but be a bit disappointed in that.

Gory

[fostrhod · 8/10 · 11 May 2023]

Renfield. 2023. Comedy horror,featuring Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, Count Dracula's trusty familiar. Dracula played by and I hadn't realised that I really like Nick Cage. It's a enjoyable romp, think "What We Do In The Shadows" but with more gore and fighting. Similar to Shadows in that it's the everyday mundane stuff which makes the film, along with gory fight scenes with use of dismembered limbs as weapons which is nice and lots of bugs which will please the hungry among us. The subplot with the drug barons is a bit pointless but the counselling group which Renfield joins is great fun. It's worth seeing horror fans 8/10.

A peculiar recreation of the relationship between Dracula and Renfield with ironic touches and a lot of blood and gore

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 3 December 2023]

In this modern monster tale of Dracula's loyal servant, Renfield (Nicolas Hoult), the tortured aide to history's most narcissistic boss is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. Renfield, Dracula's hoodlum and former inmate at the lunatic asylum for decades, longs for a life away from the Count, his various demands, and all of the bloodshed that comes with them. But nowadays, after centuries of servitude, and later being locked up for a long time in a mental sanatorium, Renfield is ready to see if there's a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness (Nicolas Cage). If only he can figure out how to end his codependency. Renfield becomes involved with Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), a second-generation police officer who sees the opportunity to take a high-level criminal off the streets and shortly after attempts to track down Dracula. Sucks to be him !. Stop serving !. Start living !.

'Renfield' is not very original nor does it pretend to be, nothing in terms of visual language, it links comic and parody moments with brilliant action sequences plenty of blood and gore. The iconic Nicolas Cage takes on the skin and coffin of Dracula in this bloody, dark one. Machiavellian and also a fun movie that tells the story of Dracula in a different and particular way. However, this Dracula is not the real protagonist, but rather his assistant Renfield, nicely played by Nicholas Hoult. Here Reinfeld is Dracula's eternal servant, condemned to live with him for eternity, in addition to being forced to fulfill his dark desires, no matter how horrible they may be. Renfield lives an empty life that is only subject to the orders of the Count, but tired of tirelessly supplying corpses, of helping him defeat the forces of the Church and putting him back together when sunlight or other evils -a stake, a crucifix- penetrate his skin, Renfield finally rebels and is determined to end this toxic relationship that has been making him bitter throughout the centuries. Here Nicolas Cage gives overacting in his usual style by playing Dracula as the most narcissistic and exaggerated vampire in history.

'Renfield' is intended to satisfy longtime Dracula fans while reminding new generations that this Count was the first and best monstrous villain in the history of Hollywood horror. In fact, the best moments are those in which the classic Dracula by Tod Browning is recalled in black and white, including images of Nicolas Cage in black and white. The circumstances of Renfield meeting Dracula and falling under his control are presented as an extended reference to how Dracula (1931) depicted these same events. Several key shots from the 1931 film are even re-enacted with Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage in place of Dwight Frye and Bela Lugosi. The motion picture was professionally directed by Chris McKay, though it has some flaws, gaps and shortcomings. Chris McKay in a good craftsman who has made a few successful films, such as: ¨The Tomorrow War¨ (2021), ¨The Lego Batman Movie¨ (2017), ¨Robot Chicken: Star Wars III¨ (2010) and this ¨Renfield¨(2023) . Rating: 6/10. The film will appeal to Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult fans.

Watch the trailer, skip the movie.

[mjjusa-1 · 3/10 · 15 April 2023]

One of those movies where the trailer is much better than the movie. The best of the movie's humor is there, you have to trudge through 90+ minutes to see all the imaginative stuff, the gold amidst the dross of endless John Wickian violence with a double dollop of Grand Guignol. Somehow, for what reason this movie goer could not fathom, where the new thing a few years ago was working water torture into scene and after scene Renfield decides (perhaps because it is soccer season) that kicking people heads off is the top of the tree special effect we have all been waiting for. Graphically, for, I guess, comic effect. Along with tearing arms off living humans, for, well, comic effect. Not all bad. Not all grotesque. As I said all the good parts can be watched in the trailer. Liked the actor playing Renfield. Liked the other actors. Can't wait for the puff pieces on how many hours the actors had to sit to be made up to look suitably ghastly.

Which they do.

For you youngsters out there, find Bram Stoker's Dracula. Directed by Coppola pere and starring Gary Oldham, with a very young Keanu Reeves, and the perfect Renfield: Tom Waites.

Silly, STupid, and Gorey, A Mash Up of Comedy and Genres

[rgkarim · 8/10 · 14 April 2023]

LIKES:

Funny -A comedy needs laughs and this movie delivers on so many levels that I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

-The dialog is super well done to be funny, so many techniques to bring laughs like: catch phrases, good use of curse words, banter, babbling, and sounding like an idiot.

-It all works for much of the movie and the acting helps add the emphasis and bring the right punch to help make the line the best.

-The dynamic style really works, but add the slapstick humor and over the top action stunts and it only further makes this movie a joy to watch. Ridiculous, but a joy.

Pacing Is Very Entertaining -It's fast, but yet contains a lot of merit in the way that it presents the story.

-Certainly more depth could have been given, but the pacing should appease the attention spans of most and works with the comedic edge of the movie.

-This actually works very well for much of the movie and adds some character to the movie that is already loaded with character to start, and I liked it.

The Chemistry -This movie is mainly about three characters, and though there are plenty of secondary characters, the chemistry really works for me.

-Awkwafina has a great dynamic of both silly and serious with her assigned partners, Hoult's engagement has so much depth that he really just meshes with so many of the people, and Cage might be a one direction, but again works with the characters.

-It's all this odd dynamic that mixes all the genres together to a degree that is just very engaging, stupid, and yet fun to watch.

Acting To Most Degrees -Again, the movie is not an Oscar movie, but it has great performances given the feel of the movie, and the surprising feel of the movie if I'm being honest.

-Awkwafina is for the most part goofy, and she does this well with her angry manner she often portrays. She runs her mouth, has an attitude that is "strong" and she curses well to make catchphrases stick. There is a sweet side as well, but it's minimal compared to the others.

-Cage is also more of the comedy side, his theatrical antics are so good, and though again over the top and silly, it meshes well with the menacing nature.

-He's having fun in the movie, and it shows, and that energy makes him more humorous at much of the film, but yet a bit of a threat at the same time. There is a little more mixing to perfect it, but I really enjoyed it.

And then there is Hoult. Holy cow did he nail this role for me, and I might have one of my favorites in how he play Renfield. There is this vulnerability that is authentic, but yet the humor is balanced, harmonizing together and making a wonderful blend and character. He did so much lifting and I loved it.

The Message/Story -You might not expect a serious story in this over the top comedy, but again I was surprised by the what they did in this film.

-Renfield's story was personal to me and that helped up the enjoyment with me, but others should really find something to grip to for all of the three characters.

-It's used in both serious and comedic purposes, and it does super well to integrate without tripping up on the other stuff this movie is trying to put together.

-That storytelling serving as a foundation to anchor to was great and I just absolutely thought it delivered sweet, savory, and silly to an amazing degree.

The Action, for the most Part -And somehow, the movie manages to outdo many action scenes I've seen in most of the last two years.

-Renfield has again this hybrid action and comedy mixed into one, and the combination really worked for me as his powers came out in full swing.

-Creative use of a lot of tools, super powers that serve an allegory to the morale of the story, and dare I say, some video game like antics that all really work.

-Add this ridiculous visualization with it, and you really get actions scenes that stand out and kick serious butt in terms of creativity, well at least most of them.

DISLIKES:

The Pace On One Degree: -The pace is a tad fast to really maximize all this movie was handling.

-Several characters had more promise, but took a back seat and I think it was just because not enough time.

-AN extra 15-20 minutes could have done wonders for the story elements, especially between sisters, but given the fun it mitigates this and makes it less of a hit compared to others.

The F Word Overuse -It won't bother most, but in this movie with so many creative words, dialogue, and sits you would think they would find a little less need for the F word.

-Some things, it's perfect and I laughed the hardest with it. And other times... it does nothing and is just annoying or tiring when we could have had something else used instead. Maybe it's because hearing the voice of Sonic saying it hits a button for me.

-Again minor for others, but the creativity drops big time for me with the overuse of this device and could have used a little more workshopping.

The Excessive Gore -This movie lives on the ridiculous nature of things, and the action is no different.

-While the moves are awesome, it's violence to a whole new degree and though comedic, may be a tad much for a lot of people to handle.

"I wasn't grossed out, but be warned this movie has a lot of ripping of body parts, dismemberment, and the blood to erupt from it.

-It's excessive, it's showy, and it's a bit sadistic, but again, it goes with the theme and gore lovers will rejoice, but for this reviewer, the overzealous sue eventually gets stale and kind of bland.

The Graphics -Most things are pretty cool, but some.. well some graphics are very fake looking and cheesy.

-I'm pretty sure I know why, to help with diluting the violence and trying to add that comedy tone. However, I can't say that I found it impressive and there was always things that technology can make better.

-Again, this isn't the biggest deal, but I'm just doing my job of sharing that the graphic were a bit too obvious for CGI for me.

The Final Battle To A Degree -The movie is gradually building up to bigger, better, and more awesome fights, impressing the heck out of my expectations and seeing some great choreography with it.

-Then comes the final battle. Justice and emotion wise, it rocks, but outside of a few key moves, the choreography took a dive for me and went to the anime level talking and punching.

-Again, the comedy is solid, the finishers are in line, but after the penultimate battle being so awesome.... I had hoped for something to combine everything and it kind of let me down.

-The justice and comedy will probably be enough for most of the audience, but that last fight had so much potential to be the pinnacle of this movie.

The VERDICT: Renfield turned out to be much better than I thought it would be going in. The comedy I knew would be very fun, but the movie's action and story turned out to be much better than I ever imagined. The movie has a lot of things brought together and I just loved how much things meshed well as the cast brought this tale to life. A solid story with morals, a pace that is entertaining, and a group of people to really make the entire thing come together. It's comedic and fun, it's serious, but not too mushy, and it respects the three characters so well with chemistry that mixes things in a favorable reaction. The Dislikes for me are probably picky, but I would say that there are still some things that need balancing out to make this movie even better. Excessive gore, cursing, and cheesy graphics are not the worst things, but I can't help but wonder if resources could have been a bit better. And as for the final battle and the pacing, it needed a bit more balancing as well, but it's not the worst thing to come to the theater. Thinking through all this, the movie gets the following scores:

Comedy/Fantasy/Horror: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0-

After Thoughts

[freethinkingworld · 7/10 · 21 April 2023]

Pretty good!!! It's no Citizen Kane, but it was funny, entertaining, and most importantly....something different! Any newer movie that's not some dying Franchise that a big corporation is trying to revamp into some money making MCU type horse they can beat to death is automatically getting props from me. Of course nobody is really acting outside thier usual acts. Ben Schwartz is still Ben Schwartz, Awkwafina is still Awkwafina, and Nicholas Holt is still Nicholas Holt. Buuut I will say Nicolas Cage as Dracula is amazing!!!! He was great and did act outside of his normal routine in my opinion! Overall it is a lot of fun if your wanting a good time, don't think it's going to be a huge favorite or anything. But it's definitely enjoyable and entertaining.

Disappointing

[drjgardner · 4/10 · 28 April 2023]

The idea of a film about Renfield focusing on the co-dependent relationship is brilliant. I was looking forward to it, and also to seeing Nicholas Cage who is one of my favorite actors.

What a disappointment.

I'm not sur e if this is a satire, a comedy, or what. It does have some funny moments, and it does have some valuable discussions about co-dependency. Then again it does have some action sequences, though they devolve into silly comic-book gore sessions that are over the top.

The problem with the film is that it doesn't know what it is, so the snippets of this or that don't mix well together.

Nicolas Cage was fire! Definitely a fun flick

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 14 April 2023]

Not surprise that the role of Dracula was made for Cage. He was exactly what I expected and it was worth the ticket to have fun watching Cage do Cage with the best hair he had in years.

Of course, as Dracula, Cage plays the villain and the movie is about Renfield, in a funny plot that suggest that this movie is somewhat a sequel to the iconic 1931 movie, which tells his origin (Well every Dracula movie technically does). Somewhat poking fun of the times, Renfield, done brilliantly by Nicolas Hoult, attempts to deal with the 80-year spell the Prince of Darkness had over him as a ghoul by joining a support group that thinks he's just having problems at work with his boss.

It's a funny situation that basically makes the entire movie. I can't say that revolving the entire movie on this idea was more than just workable, they stretched the joke out well enough to keep me giggling all throughout the movie and they did it well enough not to wear it down but it was not Laugh out loud.

Liked Awkwafina in the film as well, but once again her sub plot is a cliché formula that was not bad but it was definitely more about what she can do. Someone else may have been better at the part but not as interesting.

Ben Swartz was an interesting villain. They played it for laughs but I though the situation would have made for a pretty good serous horror movie.

The action was really good, a nice combo of fight sequences and gore that was done well.

But for me its all about Cage and when he was on the screen, even when it seemed laughable and corny it was still brilliant. That's all that I was waiting for and he never let me down.

Worth a ticket cause it was a fun time.

Cartoony and Funny Blood Bath

[demonblade-37792 · 7/10 · 15 April 2023]

Renfield is about Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) living off of Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage). He serves him to anything of his needs in return of immortal health and full power. Until he realizes the cons of only being a servant, Renfield must attend to his needs first and begins to become human again. Once that happens, Dracula will do anything out of his way to make sure that Renfield's life will be a living hell if he is not his servant anymore. Renfield does not want to do it and will do anything to stop it once and for all.

Overall, I liked the kills, story, and acting of Renfield! Never would I have thought that Nicolas Cage can pull off a Dracula role in such a film. The same applies to Nicolas Hoult as well as his English vampire servant. The kills were so violently bloody and cartoonish to watch that made it fun. Lastly, the film had a few jokes that I could not resist to laugh as well. I would recommend Renfield in theaters for a good comedy-horror watch.