Radu Jude’s 2025 film Dracula offers a bold and provocative reimagining of the iconic vampire myth, blending absurdist humor, political critique, and dark satire. The film, which premiered theatrically on October 29, 2025, presents not a faithful historical adaptation but a subversive exploration of Romania’s contemporary cultural and political landscape. Jude, known for his boundary-pushing works, uses the figure of Dracula as a symbol of the nation’s internal contradictions and struggles, reflecting on themes such as nationalism, authoritarianism, labor exploitation, and the commodification of culture.
The film’s narrative unfolds in a meta-approach, where a filmmaker collaborates with an AI to generate a commercially viable version of a Dracula movie. This high-tech process becomes a satirical commentary on the modern filmmaking industry and its obsession with marketability. The nearly three-hour long film is divided into vignettes that address a wide range of contemporary issues, from the exploitation of workers and the rise of nationalist rhetoric to the perverse commodification of AI-generated pornography. The film doesn’t shy away from the obscene and grotesque, challenging viewers with its mix of vulgarity, satire, and introspection.
Reactions to Jude’s Dracula have been mixed, with some critics dismissing it as a trollish spectacle or an exercise in absurdity, while others are grappling with the depth of its social and political commentary. Jude himself has defended the film’s vulgar approach, framing it as an act of resilience in the face of Romania’s recent political upheavals, including a near-fascist presidential takeover. In this context, the film critiques the rise of authoritarianism and nationalist mythmaking, themes that have long been part of Romania’s complex political landscape.
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For Jude, vulgarity is not mere provocation but a form of subversion—an artistic strategy to resist the forces of political oppression and cultural commodification. The absurdity and crudeness that characterize the film are not random but intentional, serving as a lens through which the viewer can reflect on the struggles of a nation grappling with its identity and its place in the modern world. In this sense, Dracula is both a critique and a mirror, reflecting Romania’s tensions with its past and present, as well as the impact of global trends such as the rise of AI and the increasing commodification of culture.
Beyond its political themes, Dracula also engages with broader questions about Romanian cinema’s identity and its limitations in imitating Hollywood. Jude, a prominent figure in the Romanian New Wave, has long been critical of the way Romanian films have struggled to find a distinct voice while facing the overwhelming dominance of Western cinema. Dracula acknowledges this struggle while also offering a defiant commentary on the possibilities of filmmaking in an age dominated by technology and global capitalism.
The film’s unconventional form and its exploration of contemporary anxieties have polarized audiences and critics alike. Some see it as an unsettling spectacle, one that pushes the boundaries of taste and coherence, while others praise its audacity and its sharp, satirical examination of current political and cultural issues. For Jude, however, Dracula is an earnest endeavor, a piece of art that confronts the absurdities of modern life and the anxieties of living in a world increasingly shaped by technology, nationalism, and political extremism.
Ultimately, Dracula is a complex, multifaceted work that defies easy categorization. It is as much an exploration of Romanian national identity and political turbulence as it is a meditation on the state of contemporary cinema and the role of art in resisting societal pressures. Through its dark humor, vulgarity, and absurdity, the film offers a critique of both the political landscape of Romania and the wider global forces that shape modern culture. It reflects, as Jude puts it, a “resistance to and an entanglement with modern socio-political anxieties,” making it a film that is both timely and deeply reflective of the world we live in today.