We’ve heard of Barbenheimer, the summer of 2023’s biggest movie phenomenon, when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were released in theaters on the same day. We now have “Babyratu,” the release of “Nosferatu” and “Babygirl” in theaters on Wednesday, Dec. 25th. Both have been highly anticipated and talked about long before their release, but did they live up to the hype?
In my opinion, neither film did. I was disappointed with both “Babygirl” and “Nosferatu;” I felt I was promised something life-changing and was simply given a shoulder shrug. Both films have their strengths, specifically in the cinematography department. The films were visually beautiful, but lacked in depth and plot, leaving the viewer feeling empty and, at times, confused. With a certified fresh rating of 85% for “Nosferatu” and a 77% for “Babygirl” my opinion might not be a popular one, but as someone who has been waiting for these releases for a while now, I can’t help but feel let down.
“Nosferatu” was my most anticipated film of the year. Ever since the early trailers and whispers about Robert Eggers (director of “The Lighthouse” and “The Witch”) taking on the classic, I had been waiting with bated breath for the day it would finally be released. I took my seat, excited because of the rave reviews I had heard regarding the film. I left with a sigh of disappointment. The film itself was gorgeous, and the scenery and color grading were superb. The acting was solid, Bill Skarsgard was unrecognizable in action, and Lily-Rose Depp gave a strong performance, hopefully setting her up to take on more roles in the horror world.
Everything else, however, fell flat to me. If you don’t know the story of Nosferatu well, there is little explanation into the lore. It is clear that previous research was required to view this film, which made it great for fans who already knew the story. I, however, felt a bit lost trying to follow how the characters were connected, and the character of Nosferatu himself. I believe that this film was not made for the casual horror fan, but rather fans of the original story itself. The goals, motives, and background of the characters lacked depth or explanation, leaving me feeling a bit out of the loop. After watching countless interviews online and hearing discourse regarding the horror elements of the film, it is safe to say I expected to be scared and even disturbed. Instead, I felt neither. Nevertheless, this movie wasn’t necessarily made for me, which I can appreciate; not every movie you see is going to be targeted for you specifically. Even so, this movie didn’t wow me.
“Babygirl” was another of my highly anticipated film releases of the year. Starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, I thought the movie would be a knockout. Listed as an erotic thriller, “Babygirl” leaned heavily into the eroticism, and completely left out the thriller aspect. This movie lacked depth and plot so much so that it was distracting. It felt like an elevated version of “Fifty Shades of Grey” with a better soundtrack and better acting.
There were elements of this film that really interested me; Nicole Kidman had flashbacks to her childhood growing up in a cult and EDMR therapy which I thought would be a main part of the film. Instead of expanding on this plot point, it was left behind, unsaid and unexplained, causing Kidman’s character to seem one-dimensional. Dickinson’s character was another interesting study, though was again abandoned and left feeling flat. This film, again, created characters that lacked a motive, or had a rather unclear reason for motive. None of the characters were particularly likable in this film, which can be an interesting angle, but they were made so unlikable that I did not care about any of the characters or what happened to them. Like “Nosferatu,” this film was beautifully shot, but it felt like it valued style over content.
I, among many other members of the film community, have been enthralled by the amount of incredible film releases this past year. I know that these two films and their perceptions have had extremely differing opinions from my own. Still, I can’t help but feel let down by these two films. While I can always appreciate the beauty and cinematography of a film, if the film lacks solid writing and a complete story, it is difficult to connect with in deeper way.
Olivia Baier can be reached at [email protected]
