Writer: Bragi F. Schut
A mysterious ship arrives in England with cargo intact and no passengers or crew. A captain’s log is discovered that reveals an evil that couldn’t possibly be real. Identified as the private cargo ship The Demeter, the captain’s log details what could be the final moments of its missing crew. From successful enterprise to Ghost Ship, The Demeter’s last voyage may have delivered more than a few boxes.
If you’re into period pieces and horror oh boy have we got a film for you! Picture it, it is 1897, we’re sailing a big ship on the high seas, singing sea shanties, eating grub from the galley, and trying to survive an 8-foot-tall bat-human hybrid. The Last Voyage of the Demeter is an adaptation of an event recalled in Bram Stoker’s classic novel “Dracula”. The recollection is in the form of a captain’s log, detailing events for which no living witness exists; providing an air of mystery and intrigue. While that tactic works well in the novel it doesn’t translate as well on screen. With the novel there is the certainty of continuation, the log is but one chapter of an evolving story. As a film, it appears as an incomplete thought lacking the character structure needed for a satisfying experience.
The story begins in Romania where we meet the ill-fated crew and their unfortunate captain. While loading the boxes and looking for healthy seaman they receive several warnings from the locals regarding their cargo. Before departure, they secure two new crew members, among them one of the rarest beasts in Romania, a black doctor. Despite the ominous well wishes and fearful advisement, the good doc and the crew head out to meet their doom. To be honest, the exposition portion of this film was long and dull but to its credit it matched the bland visuals. Everything is brown, beige, and grey covered in a thin layer of grime. It’s like Pirates of the Caribbean, minus Jack Sparrow and Disney’s whimsy. It doesn’t take long for the weirdness to start or the first kill. The crew eventually finds a young woman stow away amongst the cargo. The unexpected passenger knows more about the beast than anyone and not a soul can explain how the beast was captured or why she was crated with the damn thing. Our theory is that she was its road snack for the journey but got out before it could feed. The beast once loose, haunts the ship feeding and growing more menacing as it eats. By the end, it’s an 8-foot winged monster with rows of dagger-like teeth. This isn’t the sexualized version of a vampire we’re used to seeing. Not the glittery glossy “Twilight”, or highly stylized “True Blood” versions but a terrifying gargoyle type reminiscent of the original vamp “Nosferatu”. While this version isn’t the most pleasant to look at it is the closest to the OG of horror depictions as it dates back to 1922, when the first unofficial movie adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel was released. Imagine, the love child of Voldemort and Batboy having a baby with Gollum. Unfortunately, the random sightings of the beast and adrenaline-igniting jump scares were barely enough to keep the film interesting. Very little is explained about the ship’s passengers which is reasonable given that the entire film is based on just one chapter of a novel. The chapter is merely a log written by the last crew member of the Demeter so the lack of character development is expected since none of the characters were going to survive anyway. The problem with this is that without development there is no connection and thus no investment in seeing who survives. Not even the death of the most adorable crew member elicits a gasp or a truly sorrowful reaction.
Before viewing this film we had little to no understanding of a prequel’s purpose, now we get it. As a prequel, this would have been awesome. It would have provided some context to prepare viewers for the next film in a series. It could have served as a filler between films to build excitement but instead, it is a standalone feature with room to grow into a franchise. If you’re an avid horror reader and consider Bram Stoker one of your favorites, you may take pleasure in seeing this chapter brought to life. Only time will tell if that chance is afforded to this occasionally terrifying film. Don’t get it twisted there are plenty of jump scares and moments of sheer terror. There are plenty of opportunities to yell at the characters’ poor decisions, however, the moments in between are as lifeless as a sleeping vampire. Giving credit where it is due, the creature is the stuff of nightmares and the production department should be proud of their work. Though its resemblance to Voldemort is laughable there’s not a single thing we would find funny about those teeth or that gigantic wingspan if we found ourselves at its mercy. Nightmare fuel aside the rest of the story was barely enough to keep us awake.