Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale is a conservative interpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel. The film begins in 1480 with Prince Vladimir and Princess Elisabeta of Romania. Vlad is called by the Church to repel Ottoman forces, and he agrees to do so if God protects Elisabeta. When Elisabeta dies, Vladimir renounces God, who denies him the peace of death.
Four centuries later, Dracula meets Mina: Elisabeta reincarnated as the fiancée of his captive, Jonathan Harker. Jonathan escapes and leads a vampire slayer to Dracula’s castle. After turning Mina into a vampire, Dracula realizes he’s damned his love’s eternal soul. Dracula is not defeated but chooses to offer himself to the stake. Dracula takes on the role of a trad religious hero of sorts, sacrificing himself to the judgment of God, who allows Dracula to die and Mina to live.
