The Gothic horror fable "Vourdalak" is brilliantly crafted with an immense sense of ambiguity and suspense. From the very beginning, the mastery behind the storytelling of filmmaker Adrian Beau is evident. The film opens on a stormy night, as a frantic knock on a door captures our attention. Through clever use of shadows and light, we glimpse a man's silhouette, his aristocratic hat serving as a visual cue that this is no ordinary tale.
The character, Marquis Jacques Antoine Saturnin d'Urfé, portrayed with distinct charm by Kacey Mottet Klein, seeks refuge at a remote manor after his party is brutally attacked. His stay turns out to be far from safe. The story is superbly staged, offering chilling visual clues and engaging viewers in the horror-ridden universe of "Vourdalak".
Adrian Beau's nod to Mario Bava and the Hammer House horror catalogue is unmistakable. Inspired by an Aleksey Tolstoy novella, "Vourdalak" is a delightful mixture of moody, eerie horror and tongue-in-cheek playfulness in its depiction of vintage horror.
The characters within "Vourdalak", a clan occupying a spine-chilling, foggy manor, are equally captivating. Gorcha's family, including his sons Jegor, Vlad and Piotr, Jegor’s wife Anja, and Gorcha’s daughter Sdenka, whom Marquis d'Urfé seems to hold in high regard, add complexity to the storyline. The family's patriarch, Gorcha, has left them to seek revenge on a Turkish leader, leaving them with the chilling warning that he may return as a deadly vampiric creature, a vourdalak, hungry for their blood.
Despite certain lulls in the story, Beau successfully creates a sense of mounting dread and wraps this classic tale around contemporary themes. Ingenious use of older special effects techniques, uncertainty, and risk immerse viewers in this fear-provoking world. One unforgettable scene, twisted in an almost satirical fashion, injects humor into this chilling tale that marries old and new horror techniques to create a truly engaging and suspenseful cinematic experience.
"Vourdalak" delivers a balanced dose of terror and entertainment, making it an essential watch for horror enthusiasts who appreciate the blend of traditional and contemporary approaches in the genre. Despite the dilatory moments, it offers an impressive and unforgettable gothic horror experience.
