[Blu-ray Review] ‘RENFIELD’ rocks with “Dracula Sucks Edition”

Preston Barta // Features Editor

RENFIELD

Rated R, 93 minutes.
Director: Chris McKay
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Brandon Scott Jones, Adrian Martinez and Shohreh Aghdashloo

The “Dracula Sucks Edition” Blu-ray hits the streets on June 6 on Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD.

MOVIE GRADE: B

Anyone remember Vampire’s Kiss, the 1988 vampiric psychological thriller starring Nicolas Cage? It’s a pretty wild movie and not the kind of feel-good fun that its original poster seems to promise. 

Renfield, on the other hand, is very much that kind of fun you want from a crazy Cage. Directed by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie and The Tomorrow War), it’s got that Zombieland-like zaniness and Warm Bodies-like loving feeling — just a gleeful rampage.

Speaking of Warm Bodies, the titular character is played by that film’s co-lead, Nicholas Hoult. He even narrates Renfield quite similarly, letting viewers know who he is (a servant to Cage’s Dracula) and what are the rules of the world (and there aren’t many). Hoult’s Renfield is like a member of The Cure in gothic Wes Anderson clothing, and he’s been around for a long time, fetching blood for Dracula. 

All this killing of the innocent is starting to get to Renfield, and he longs for an everyday life without Dracula. To ease his conscience, Renfield attempts a more Boondock Saints approach to murder, where he bags the bodies of bad people. However, their blood isn’t as pure as those without dirt on their hands. So, hopefully, therapy and new friends will help give Renfield the courage to step away from his toxic relationship with The Count.

Renfield shows incredible invention, well-tuned comic timing, and the year’s most extraordinary line delivery (by Cage during the film’s conclusion). You’ll know when you hear it because you’ll laugh until your belly hurts. 

Cage is a hoot. No one can put words out like him, and it’s almost Shakespearean. He takes everything to an untouchable level, and everyone else in the movie is along for the ride like we are. You never know where he’ll emphasize something and make a hilarious interjection, and it’s something to be seen at once.

But Hoult’s chemistry with Awkwafina (as a New Orlean police detective) is another strong aspect. Awkwafina supplies many of the film’s biggest laughs, especially when her character reacts to the absurdity around her. You’ll feel the warmness and fun play between her and Hoult.

Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the great Ben Schwartz. He plays the fantastically named Tedward Lobo, the prince of the New Orleans crime world. He’s a total screwup who can practically get away with anything, and Schwartz elevates the character to a memorable place. So damn funny.

Renfield is a rip-roaring time with dazzling practical effects, extreme quotability, and a quick pace. It checks all the boxes of being a comedy favorite.

EXTRAS GRADE: B+

This Blu-ray includes more extras than we normally get these days. Often, it’s simply a filmmakers’ commentary and maybe a short making-of featurette. Renfield includes both of those items and a whole mess of deleted/extended scenes and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

I could watch Cage talk all day about his crafting his characters, and the work that he put into shaping his Dracula is super fascinating and well captured in all the behind-the-scenes footage. Look for a bit where he discusses his cobra-like attack technique and how he subtlety pulled from other Dracula performances. It makes me want to revisit the film and study his performance for the hat-tipping moments.

Another highlight are two deleted scenes of a news anchor hilariously comparing an event to preparing gumbo and a TMZ-esque exploration of Awkwafina’s character. Having this news anchor be a constant throughout the film is a missed opportunity. As is one incredible dance number that was omitted. It would have followed the bar fight sequence, and it would have punched up the film with a 500 Days of Summer feel. Tonally, I get why they eighty-sixed it. But you also have Cage in the movie, and anything goes and could work.

Overall, solid, quick bonus content. It keeps things tight and informative. The blood and makeup FX specials are a treat.

• Hilarious Deleted and Extended Scenes
• Alternate Takes
• Dracula UnCaged – Go inside the mind of a vampire as Dracula himself, Nicolas Cage, reveals the secrets behind turning a classic character into a memorable monster.
• Monsters & Men: Behind the Scenes of Renfield – An in-depth look at Renfield’s cast, sets, costumes and more as the actors and filmmakers reveal how they modernized a famous terror tale with trailblazing comedy and over-the-top action.
• Stages of Rejuvenation – See how special makeup effects bring the undead to life throughout the four stages of Dracula’s incredible transformation.
• Flesh & Blood – Exploding heads. Peeling faces. Severed limbs. They’re all part of the macabre movie magic that fuels Renfield with inventive action and hilarious horror.
• Fighting Dirty – Stunt coordinator Christopher Brewster leads a look at the training, choreography, and careful execution that goes into the film’s spectacular stunts and fight scenes.
• The Making of a Deleted Scene: Renfield’s Dance! – Nicholas Hoult and choreographer Kathryn Burns pull back the curtain on constructing an elaborate musical number for a fantasy dance sequence.
• Feature Commentary with Producer Samantha Nisenboim, Screenwriter Ryan Ridley, and Crew

TECH INFO (Blu-ray):

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
Rating: R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1) and Latin American Spanish (DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1)
Run Time: 01:33:27

FINAL WORD: In Renfield, Nicolas Cage portrays Dracula with comedy chops as sharp as his fangs. It’s got that ‘Zombieland’-like zaniness and rampage, and it’s a total blast.