The Last Voyage of the Demeter dropped to uncaring audiences and unimpressed critics last fall. André Øvredal’s latest project lacks his effervescent sensibilities, leaving behind a confused project. Demeter earned only $21.8 million of its $45 million budget, branding it a failure. While it doesn’t break new ground or advance the conversation, the film deserves some attention for its straightforward qualities. Worldwide viewers of HBO Max agree because this Universal horror movie is currently the sixth-most watched movie on the service.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter Finally Reaches Its Destination
Bragi Schut, Jr. devised a stellar horror premise in the early 2000s. He had Ridley Scott’s Alien stuck in his head. The classic gothic space horror epic inspired countless similar projects. Schut had a friend who worked on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, giving him a chance to see a miniature of the Demeter. His mind lit up with a shockingly new connection. “The Captain’s Log” is the seventh chapter of Dracula. It follows a group of sailors ferrying mysterious cargo across unfriendly seas. As the crew disappears inexplicably, the captain discovers a nightmarish monster aboard his vessel. A group of blue-collar laborers in a hostile environment with no escape encounters a lethal predator that picks them off one by one. That premise describes both “The Captain’s Log” and Alien. The Last Voyage of the Demeter spent around 20 years in development hell, but it emerged with its stellar premise intact.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a good film that suffers immensely for not being great. It borrows heavily from other horror movies. Alien remains its most obvious inspiration, but it dredged up everything from Universal Monsters to Hammer Horror. Atmosphere is its greatest weapon. Bear McCreary’s score keeps you on edge through nearly every scene. Tom Stern’s cinematography strings together stunning moments on the high seas. The cast is excellent, with several stellar performances by underrated character actors. Javier Botet brings a beautiful physicality to the film’s bestial Dracula. Demeter succeeds where it needs to, but you can feel it falling short of its potential. It’s not campy enough to be funny, but it’s also too overblown to be grounded. It can’t decide where it belongs, leaving it pulled in too many directions. Still, Demeter is an excellent ride for anyone who loves vampires, sailing, or Alien.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter gained its current HBO horror prominence from Latin American viewers. Audiences in South and Central America, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic pushed it to third place on their national charts. The film isn’t available in the United States or several other territories. It currently sits in sixth place on HBO Max worldwide. I’d recommend The Last Voyage of the Demeter as a straightforward Alien riff in a new environment. Keep your expectations reasonable, and your last voyage will be a fun one.
