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 Montague Renfield (Nicholas Hoult).
The best horror movies know that the monsters therein are metaphors, and “Renfield,” written by Ryan Ridley, with a story by Robert Kirkman, who created the zombie epic “The Walking Dead,” 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 rather, 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, the joke is that he’s talking about a literal monster, a supernatural being who can fly and burst into clouds of bats, not just some rotten boyfriend. But at the heart of the matter, the issue is the same.
