Oh, Nicolas Cage – how I really do adore Nic Cage! Ever since watching 1997's Face/Off and Con Air – two absolute bangers out in one year, what a time to be alive! – I've been a fan. And one of his more recent movies has just shot up the Netflix movie chart to the top spot, giving further cause for the streamer to be considered among the best streaming services.
Renfield casts Cage as Dracula, the world-famous vampire (or Prince of Darkness) – and you've never seen the actor look quite like this! If you're a Cage super-fan then I'm sure you'll be quick to point out that he has played a vampire before, in 1989's Vampire's Kiss, but the make-up department has really stepped it up in Renfield – as you can see in the trailer below.
I first watched Renfield upon its initial release, back in 2023, and it's one helluva wild ride. To say it's gory would be an understatement – it goes hyper on the blood-soaked scenes and limb removals, but more akin to The Boys in style, adding a gruesome additional comedy string to its bow. It certainly won't be to everyone's tastes for this fact alone, so don't say I didn't warn you.
The movie certainly divides critical opinion and fans' thoughts, too, with a so-so 58% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score sharply contrasted by the 78% average of viewers. Even those who thought the movie kinda sucked (pun intended), got what they came for though: "I came for Nicholas Cage and was not disappointed," reads on to-the-point review on the review site.
Carrying the movie along is another Nicolas, one Mr Hoult – well known as playing Beast in the X-Men franchise – who plays Dracula's loyal servant, the titular Renfield, who is frustrated by centuries of servitude. But can he cut ties with Dracula? Not so easily.
Renfield also stars Awkwafina as a local traffic cop who gets mixed up in the action. And while her casting might grate with some viewers, it fits the somewhat whacky avenue (more dark alley, really) that Renfield walks down. Perhaps that's no surprise, as it's directed by Chris McKay – best known for The Lego Movie and its sequels. Yes, really.
So expect mayhem, expect blood, expect Nic Cage as you've never seen him before. Renfield has certainly earned its place as Netflix's new no.1 movie – whether or not you'll be a fan of the hyper-gory flick or not. It's knocked Aftermath off the top spot, which was hardly a critically acclaimed wunderkid, now, was it?
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