In the endless digital catacombs of Netflix, amid the rom-coms and sitcoms that should’ve been staked in the heart seasons ago, lurk some bloodsucking gems worth your precious viewing time. And these aren’t the stereotypical, cape-wearing, over-acting vampires with questionable Transylvanian accents.
In its vampiric wisdom, Netflix offers a selection of films that redefine the genre. While they might not make garlic sales plummet or have you sleeping with a crucifix, these films take a refreshing bite out of the vast lore of the undead. So, the next time you’re in for a “fangtastic” movie night, consider choosing one of the best vampire movies on Netflix.
Day Shift (2022)
In 2022, Hollywood decided we weren’t quite done with being entertained by vampires, thus gifting us with Day Shift. The ever-charismatic Jamie Foxx takes the lead role as a hardworking dad who scrubs your pool’s unsightly algae by daylight; by moonlight, he’s dispatching vampires with the same fervor.
However, underneath the delightful absurdity of this double life there’s a noble mission: to support his beloved child. It’s a blend of high-stakes action and heartwarming family drama, shaken and stirred with sharp wit.
Night Teeth (2021)
Night Teeth is for those who wonder how one might spend a glamorous yet dangerous night chauffeuring blood-thirsty elite around L.A. (because who hasn’t daydreamed about that?). When our unsuspecting young hero, Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), borrows his brother’s chauffeur gig for the night, the last thing he expects is driving a duo of femme fatale vampires (Debby Ryan and Lucy Fry) with a thirst for, well, more than just nightlife.
Juxtaposing opulent L.A. landscapes with dark, hunger-driven alleys, the movie is an electrifying cocktail of thrills, chills, and the woes of a rideshare driver facing L.A.’s deadliest clientele.
Van Helsing (2004)
Let’s take a walk down memory lane, back to when Hugh Jackman decided that playing an iconic mutant in X-Men wasn’t enough, and that he needed to take on the entirety of Universal’s monster lineup, too. Armed with more than a killer jawline, Jackman’s Van Helsing slays every beast that bumps in the night, from Dracula to werewolves and even Frankenstein’s monster.
Van Helsing is a visual candy store of Gothic grandeur with CGI galore. Kate Beckinsale also graces the screen, sporting a Transylvanian accent that wavers like a tourist who’s had one too many shots of pálinka.
Vampires (1998)
If anyone could turn bloodsucking creatures of the night into rugged, rough-around-the-edges antiheroes, it’s John Carpenter. Breaking away from the typical brooding and candle-lit vampire flicks, Vampires drops the undead into the dusty, sun-scorched landscapes of the American Southwest.
James Woods plays Jack Crow, a Vatican-sponsored vampire hunter with the swagger of a cowboy and the attitude of someone who’s just found garlic in his salad. Yes, you heard that right—the Holy See’s very own Van Helsing. Crow’s mission? Purge the world of the undead, one wooden stake at a time. But when the master vampire Valek enters the scene, things get, well … bitey. While parts of the script haven’t aged well—Woods’ dialogue in particular is problematic at times—Vampires is an unconventional and fairly entertaining entry in the genre.
Dracula Untold (2014)
Dracula Untold is a cinematic experience that dares to pull back the velvet curtains on Dracula’s mysterious origins. Luke Evans dives into the role with all the brooding intensity of a man who has just discovered the world is out of O-negative. The plot veers between the genres of historical epic and fantasy horror, putting a new spin on an ancient story: What if Dracula wasn’t a cold-blooded killer, but instead a doting father worried about the safety of his children?
The film serves up medieval battles, shadowy transformations, and some surprisingly introspective moments about the price of power (or perhaps, the cost of a pint?).
Blood Red Sky (2021)
This high-altitude thriller combines the paranoia of hijacking with the insatiable hunger of vampirism, a combo you didn’t know you needed until now. Nadja, our resident mother vampire, isn’t out for world domination or to start a new vampire clan. She just wants to ensure her son gets a safe landing and maybe a bedtime story.
Blood Red Sky escalates quicker than a nosedive, posing the question: Who’s the real monster, the vampire or the hijackers? If you’re tired of the same old rom-coms at 30,000 feet, this turbulent blend of horror and action will give your heart an intense workout.
Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a comedic horror gem that takes gentrification to a whole new level. The fiends aren’t just after affordable townhouses in New York’s bustling borough; they’re after the very lifeblood of the community. Enter our trio of fearless Bronx teens armed with holy water, garlic, and the kind of local neighborhood pride that can’t be bought (or bitten).
Forget about caped counts in distant European castles; these vamps are swanky, modern, and probably have a killer avocado toast recipe. But they’ve bitten off more than they can chew with the Bronx’s fiery residents.
Let the Right One In (2008)
When it comes to blossoming childhood friendships, most involve shared toys or a mutual love of cartoons. But when 12-year-old Oskar meets Eli, the pale, peculiar girl next door, their bond revolves around a penchant for hemoglobin. This Swedish cinematic delicacy is less Twilight and more deeply frozen noir—a tender coming-of-age tale that just so happens to feature a vampire.
Set in hauntingly cold Scandinavian landscapes, Let the Right One In is a chilling look at loneliness, love, and the lengths we’ll go to protect those dear to us. And while most pre-teens are dealing with schoolyard drama, Oskar and Eli grapple with slightly more … biting issues.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
At long last, someone decided to tackle Dracula with an aesthetic borrowed equally from Shakespearean drama and ’90s rock ballads. That someone was iconic filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Gary Oldman portrays a version of the eponymous ghoul who is as reflective as he is vengeful, moping over a past love while transforming into a giant bat. And who could forget Keanu Reeves, with an English accent so unique it deserves its own exhibition.
Alongside Reeves, Winona Ryder brings some Victorian innocence and modern sass, caught in a love triangle with a vampire and a solicitor. Moody, opulent, and dripping with more red than a wine festival, Coppola takes liberties with Stoker’s novel but compensates with sheer audacity and style.
Dark Shadows (2012)
In a decade when most vampires were preoccupied with teenage love, Barnabas Collins burst from his coffin with a different dilemma: adapting to the 1970s after two centuries underground. Directed by the enduringly eccentric Tim Burton, Dark Shadows dives into the world of a cursed vampire floundering amid lava lamps, bell bottoms, and The Carpenters.
While most of us grapple with technology upgrades, Barnabas is baffled by the magic of television. At its undead heart, Dark Shadows is a tale of family—a dysfunctional, haunted, occasionally witchy family, but a family nonetheless. Complete with Helena Bonham Carter as a tipsy psychiatrist and Eva Green as a vengeful sorceress, the film serves up Gothic aesthetics with a side of disco funk.
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Published: Oct 16, 2023 01:53 pm