Sacrifice

Dracula Untold, a film starring Luke Evans, was released in 2014. I recently watched the film at my home. The first viewing was at the theater, naturally! The work is visually stunning, rich in color and special effects. The film depicts perhaps the original Vampire, Count Vlad, a.k.a. Dracula as a benevolent leader and a loving husband and father.

Vlad left his past as “The Impaler” behind him, determined to rule over his people in a fashion suitable for a peaceful ruler. Their was a problem with his agenda. A neighboring country, Turkey, was ruled by a ruthless and cruel leader, set on possessing all the land and people he could during his reign.

The conflict between the two seemingly different leaders came to a head when the Turkish ruler demanded more than an acceptable tribute. He demanded Vlad’s first son to raise as one of his warriors. Vlad valued the life of his family more than his own, so he was unable to oblige the Turkish ruler with his demand.

The film takes a very compassionate look at one of the most despised creatures in history. The Impaler was hated and feared for his legacy of utterly decimating his enemy, placing many on a stake. Life brings irony. In this adaptation, Vlad is faced with a dilemma that no conventional warfare tactics could resolve. Vlad make a deal with the Devil, in a sense. His love for his family, his people, was so great that he was willing to wager his own life. He accepted the blood of a cursed individual, hoping to use the supernatural powers he acquired to defeat the Turkish forces and keep his land in peace. The question stands, did Vlad act out of duty, or a ferocious desire to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies? At this point in his life, that was no longer a topic of value.

The era in which the tale takes place allows the choices to be based on brute force, the strongest will, and the most cunning of wits. The lust for power was as seductive then as it is now, perhaps more so. This version had a heavy religious undertone, much like my novel, which I appreciated. The thought that a man wanting peace is weak is a dreadful misconception. It takes great strength to withhold one’s impulses, to not act on passion, to weight options and use time to make a prudent decision. Showing restraint, not raising one’s hand takes a great deal of strength from within. Vlad wanted to leave a world where he was corrupt in the past.

Vlad showed his power, his true power by not submitting to the Turks. Then, he showed it again as he fought the thirst that also came with the curse from the damned creature. It wasn’t until he lost the one thing he wanted to protect, his family. His wife Mirena perished and his son’s life was in jeopardy, Vlad made the only decision that made sense. The fighting didn’t lend to much of a plan, hence Vlad turning his people into Vampires. Their gratitude reflected their lack of loyalty to their king. He was forced to destroy the very people he tried so passionately to protect. The battle of good versus evil extended beyond Vlad’s one man war with the Turks. It was with his people and within. He also was confronted with supernatural evil.

Mirena proved herself a worthy wife. When her life was spent, she gave Vlad the power to do what was necessary to save their son, who was both their reason for living. The death scene was tragically beautiful. Vengeance was not just sought, it was demanded. Vlad’s strength was immense. He even withstood the near lethal exposure to daylight to ensure the safety of his son and cleaning up the mess that was once his people. Fortunately, many townspeople were sent away so his kingdom was not lost.

This film doesn’t try to justify the deeds of a violent and corrupt man. It simply asks a simple question, how important is love from one person to another? What type of sacrifice is acceptable? Is love powerful enough to endure? I’m convinced as I watched this movie that I saw so much more than what most did. There were many layers and I feel it was a well executed character examination, just in a very non-conventional manner.