André Øvredal’s latest take on the tale of Dracula nails the eerie gothic vibe, but is otherwise toothless in its execution. Yep, in a sea of atmospheric chills, it’s unfortunately devoid of any real frights. Sure, there are some jumpy moments and creepy visuals of ‘ol Drac, but there’s no real bite to the terror presented. It doesn’t help that we know exactly what will happen to the ship’s crew thanks to a spoilery onscreen text shown in the first 5 seconds of the film. It’s less of a “what will happen?” scenario as it is a “when will it happen?” situation. Predictability aside, there is something to be said for Javier Botet’s portrayal of Dracula. Botet’s version of the King of Vampires might be Lord of the Rings’ Gollum-like in appearance, but is cunningly cerebral in his movements. Øvredal also does a nice job of using “voyeuristic” camera techniques that catch Dracula lurking in the shadows in unnerving fashion. But, alas, thanks to a less-than thrilling finale, uninteresting characters, and some overwrought dialogue, this voyage is all but destined to be forgotten. Ain’t that a bite to the neck!