Review: 'Renfield' is fun but lacks true bite

With the horror-action-comedy "Renfield," the iconic Nicolas Cage finally grants the world his take on Count Dracula, and instantly lands in the top tier of Best Dracula Performances of All Time, creating a holy trifecta with Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee.

His version of the famous vampire is seductive and self-important, naturally, and he delivers it with the heavy dose of sarcasm required for this comedic modern analysis of Dracula's dynamic with his "familiar": Robert Montagu Renfield (Nicholas Hoult).

The best horror movies know that the monsters therein are metaphors, and "Renfield" extrapolates the Dracula/Renfield relationship into a contemporary parable of codependency and narcissist abuse.

Renfield isn't just a loyal servant and enabler, dragging unsuspecting human prey to their demise in Dracula's lair — he's another victim, his life force sucked dry not via fang but by coercion, manipulation and gaslighting.

The pair have made Dracula's latest roost in New Orleans, in an abandoned hospital, and after decades of service, Renfield has sought out a support group for people in toxic relationships. As he makes a breakthrough with group leader Mark (Brandon Scott Jones), realizing that if he doesn't prioritize his boss' needs, he won't grow to his fullest power.

"What if Renfield described Dracula in therapy?" is a good joke, exploited in the trailers, but this is unfortunately a one-joke movie. Directed by Chris McKay, the film feels like a comedic sketch stretched into a 90-minute feature, thanks to an organized crime story line that's been laid on top to beef things up.

In an attempt to do less harm, and perhaps some good, Renfield has been bringing Dracula the abusers of his fellow group members to snack on, which lands him in the midst of a gang war between Teddy Lobo (Ben Schwartz), backed by his intimidating crime boss mom (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and a young upstart cop, Rebecca (Awkwafina), seeking revenge for her father's death. Things only get more complicated with the addition of a centuries-old all-powerful vampire and his familiar, who develops super fighting strength from eating bugs.

The plot may be flimsy and disposable, but "Renfield" is gleefully gory and goofy, the kind of movie where a charmingly floppy-haired Hoult jumps on an assassin's head, exploding his body like a blood-filled water balloon.

That such violence is enacted by our sweetly earnest protagonist just lends to the winking tonal clash, which is reflected in the film's design. Dracula's lair is ostentatiously goth and gruesome, decked out with blood bags and dripping candles. But when Renfield sets up his own apartment, he goes for brightly painted walls and inspirational posters, eschewing Victorian garb for a multicolored sweater and khakis.

The stylish "Renfield" is a bit of frothy fun, and may be too flip for some, but flippancy isn't the issue — it's the flimsiness. Hoult and Cage sell the toxic odd-couple dynamic well, but a sturdier story is required to fully support their performances, especially Cage's operatic Dracula, who delights in terrorizing his foppish familiar. "Renfield" dutifully delivers the goods — and a few therapist-approved lessons about codependent relationships, too — but unfortunately, it's lacking a bit of bite.

'Renfield'

2½ stars out of 4

Rated: R for bloody violence, some gore, language and drug use.

Where: In theaters Friday.