Directed by André Øvredal and written by Bragi F. Schut Jr and Zak Olkewicz, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is exceptionally well done.  It is brooding and darkly realized, bringing to life “The Captain’s Log” chapter from a chapter from Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, a chapter which is somewhat missing in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake.

Completists of the Dracula mythos will certainly want to add this horror film to their collection as what  Øvredal and his team do here is pretty strong when it comes to graphic bloodletting, morbidity, and overall themes of dread on board a sailing vessel destined for Hell itself.

Consider it a sort of Alien-inspired take on vampirism and it absolutely works, carrying a tone which is full of fear and a whole lot of bloodletting.  Sure, sure, this chapter in the whole Dracula saga is merely explaining how the nocturnal creature got from Transylvania to London, but this passage is marked with a whole lot of striking visuals, which - in the context of this movie - provides viewers with a whole lot of scary fun as the crew of The Demeter - which includes Captain Eliot (Liam Cunningham), loyal first mate Wojchek (David Dastmalchian), his grandson Toby (Woody Norman), the ship’s doctor, Clemens (Corey Hawkins), stowaway (Aisling Franciosi), and a whole lot of mysterious boxes that romanian gypsies were hired to drop off - come face to face with the devil itself.

And, oh yes, there will be blood.  With great gore, some nice practical effects, and a nice design to Dracula himself, The Last Voyage of the Demeter comes highly recommended.  It definitely is not the cash grab its advertising left many to believe as this doomed ship sets off on its ill-fated journey.  It’s a high-concept film, to be certain, but it also delivers a very satisfying horror tale for contemporary audiences.

With livestock on the ship, too, there’s plenty of food . . . except they mysteriously go missing as Dracula (Javier Botet) is also on board, traversing among the shadows as the night descends.  What follows is an engaging tale of mystery and vampirism as Øvredal takes viewers on a doomed voyage.  Fans of horror classics will absolutely enjoy the suspense that is created and, trust me, this one fills in the holes that are sorely missing in Eggers’ take of Nosferatu. 

While the film might have some pacing errors, it builds its tension well and never falters due to those pacing issues in its task of bringing this chapter of horror lore to the full screen for a full-effect running time. 

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is now on 4K UHD with an exclusive slipcover and two exclusive posters if purchased directly though Shout! Factory.

Shout Factory Exclusive / Collector's Edition + 2 Exclusive Posters + Exclusive Slipcover / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray

Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - January 21, 2025
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH; French; Spanish
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1; Audio descriptive
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

This terrifying new addition to the Dracula legend, based on the chilling chapter from Bram Stoker's classic novel, chronicles the journey of a merchant ship ferrying 50 mysterious wooden crates to London. As they set sail, the crew soon discovers they are not alone. At night, they are stalked by a hidden passenger whose monstrous thirst for blood turns the trip into a harrowing nightmare of tension, terror, and unfathomable evil.

VIDEO

With lots of shadow play, the 4K handling from Shout! Factory doesn’t disappoint.  Black levels are clear, lines are thick, and shadows on the boat - especially at night - never bleed.  This is a definite looker, thanks to the handling of the 1.85:1 AVC-encoded picture.  Details are brought to eye-popping life by the film's rich color palette. The film's many nighttime scenes are always deep, black, and solid, yet rarely show any artifacting or digital crush.

AUDIO

With a whole lot of earth-rattling choices the sound design is explicitly delicious.  It is presented in a very loud Dolby Atmos and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0 selection.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• There are two commentaries which fans of the movie will definitely enjoy as they are guided by the film’s director.

Special Features:

The blu-ray release features many supplemental materials that will definitely appeal to fans of the genre.

DISC ONE (4K UHD):

• NEW 4K Presentation From The Original Elements
• Presented In Dolby Vision And Dolby Atmos
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
• NEW Audio Commentary With Film Critic Meagan Navarro
• NEW Audio Commentary With Actor David Dastmalchian
• Audio Commentary With Director Andre Ovredal And Producer Bradley J. Fischer

DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):

• NEW 4K Presentation From The Original Elements
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
• NEW Audio Commentary With Film Critic Meagan Navarro
• NEW Audio Commentary With Actor David Dastmalchian
• Audio Commentary With Director Andre Ovredal And Producer Bradley J. Fischer
• NEW Interview With Folklorist & Author Dr. Karen Stollznow
• Deleted Scenes
• Alternate Opening
• From The Pits Of Hell: Dracula Reimagined
• Evil Is Aboard: The Making Of The Last Voyage Of The Demeter
• Dracula And The Digital Age – Featurette

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 118 mins
Director: André Øvredal
Writer: Bragi F. Schut; Zak Olkewicz
Cast: Corey Hawkins; Aisling Franciosi; Liam Cunningham
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: The Legend of Dracula is Born.
Memorable Movie Quote: "You are in my head. In my blood. You have damned me to hell!"
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Official Site: https://shoutfactory.com/products/the-last-voyage-of-the-demeter-collectors-edition
Release Date: August 11, 2023
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 25, 2025.
Synopsis: A crew sailing from Varna (Bulgaria) by the Black Sea to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo.