A new vampire film has landed on Netflix, but what is it all about? Here's everything you need to know about Dampyr and if it's worth a watch. Say goodbye to Twilight and the classic Dracula - audience interest in all things vampire continues to thrive.
Real Steel, Lone Survivor, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco have all recently premiered on the Netflix top 10 chart. Now, an unexpected supernatural force is poised to join them. But before you start watching, here's everything you need to know about Dampyr - including its storyline, cast, and whether it's worth your time.
What is Dampyr about?
Dampyr is an Italian horror-fantasy movie by Riccardo Chemello.
The official synopsis of Dampyr is as follows: "Harlan, a con artist, and his manager deceive small villages by pretending to rid them of vampires that allegedly haunt the town, and they accept payment for their phony services. However, when they are confronted with the task of defeating actual vampires, Harlan discovers that he is more than human and must harness his newfound powers to vanquish an evil master of the night."
The movie was made with a budget of $15 million, and clocks in with a runtime of two hours. It was officially released in the US on August 8, 2023.
Dampyr cast: Who’s in it?
The official cast for Dampyr includes:
Wade Briggs as Harlan Draka / Dampyr
Stuart Martin as Emil Kurjak
Frida Gustavsson as Tesla Dubcek
Sebastian Croft as Yuri
Luke Roberts as Draka
David Morrissey as Gorka
Radu Andrei Micu as Lazar
Ionut Grama as Stefan
Florin Fratila as Dejan
Madalina Bellariu Ion as Velma
Andreea Coff as Chloe
Alice Cora Mihalache as Aysha
Alexandra Poiana as Vivien
Claudia Negroiu as old Chloe
Aura Calarasu as old Aysha
Simina Siminie as old Vivien
Oliver Lepadatu as young Harlan
Is Dampyr worth watching on Netflix?
Stuart Martin spoke to Crast about the movie, stating, “I find the film Dampyr interesting because it portrays the concepts of good and evil, while also depicting the real-life context of war, specifically in Europe. Therefore, we must confront not only the evil embodied by the vampires, but also the underlying historical baggage that constantly complicates the situation.”
Is Dampyr worth watching on Netflix?
Dampyr currently lacks an official Rotten Tomatoes rating, but audience reviews are mixed.
According to one user on X/Twitter, "Other countries can produce better movies than American studios. For instance, Dampyr, made with a $15 million budget and based on an Italian comic book, exhibits more imagination than Marvel movies from recent years."
"Just finished watching Dampyr on Netflix and wow, they managed to pull all that off with just a 15 million budget. After some digging, I found out it's based on a comic series, so there's a ton of source material to work with. I was really hoping to find some news about a sequel, but no luck. Why does this always happen?" another user shared.
“This movie is nothing but a tiresome rehash of all the vampire films that have come before, with most closely resembling John Carpenter’s Vampires. The plot of this movie practically mirrors that of its predecessor," shared Tantarow on IMDB.
Dampyr has quickly climbed to the top 10 on Netflix in several regions.
Stream Dampyr on Netflix and explore our other featured Netflix series:
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- Beef Season 2
- Monster Season 2
- Ginny and Georgia Season 3
- Stranger Things Season 5
- Florida Man Season 2
- Obsession Season 2
- The Sandman Season 2
- The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3
- Heartstopper Season 3
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Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting movies to watch, and Dampyr definitely caught my attention. The storyline, which follows a con artist who discovers he has vampire-hunting powers, sounds like a thrilling blend of action, horror, and fantasy.
I'm also excited to see the diverse cast, which includes actors from all over the world. Stuart Martin, who plays Emil Kurjak, had some interesting insights about the movie's portrayal of good and evil, as well as the historical context of war in Europe. Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic about Dampyr and will definitely be checking it out on Netflix.
