In the 128 years since Bram Stoker’s genre defining Dracula was published, we’ve seen Abraham Van Helsing depicted in a number of ways. From a scientific savior and eccentric kook to an action star staking vampires in 19th century finery, we know him as a knowledgeable champion and the malevolent Count’s greatest rival. It’s he who swoops in to save the undead Lucy Westenra from an eternity of stalking children through the night and he who becomes the galvanizing force that ultimately ends Dracula’s reign of terror.
But not everyone views this Dutch nobleman as an unwavering protagonist. Joe Hill’s 2005 short story “Abraham’s Boys” takes a different approach, positioning the scientific crusader as equally nefarious to his bloodsucking foe. Director Natasha Kermani expands this disturbing exposé in an unusual sequel to Stoker’s classic tale. Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story challenges our belief in supernatural creatures while complicating one of the genre’s most celebrated heroes.
Eighteen years after Count Dracula’s death, Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) lives a quiet life in California’s central valley. Widowed and in need of protection, Mina (Jocelin Donahue) has married the European doctor and given him two sons named Max (Brady Hepner) and Rudy (Judah Mackey). But a shadow hangs over their isolated home.
Mina has never fully recovered from her vampiric encounter and remains mentally connected to creatures of the night. She and Abraham are certain their old enemy still lives and will one day return to exact his revenge. When strange noises go bump in the night, the Van Helsing boys begin to fear that a sinister force has entered the house. But is this the monster from his parents’ past or a human threat much closer to home?
Kermani finds power in ambiguity, presenting just enough information to jolt us out of our complacent beliefs. Viewed through his sons’ horrified eyes, Abraham’s methods are shocking and cruel, much more akin to sadistic murder than the heroic actions of a vampire slayer. We linger on gruesome imagery and a recreation of the literary Lucy’s gruesome death presented in cold and unflinching detail. Narrative tendrils reach back to Stoker’s iconic novel as characters are forced to reckon with the horrors they endured.
As Max struggles with his father’s ominous instructions, Arthur Holmwood (Jonathan Howard) returns begging for absolution. The wealthy widower no longer fears the vampiric threat he encountered in London, but the price his immortal soul will pay for heeding Van Helsing’s violent advice. However, we wonder if his indignation stems from the remnants of extreme PTSD or the genuine regret of a secondary victim. Kermani seems to delight in this unknowability, challenging us to choose a champion for ourselves.
Though the film questions traditional vampire lore, Kermani does not dismiss these creatures out of hand. A familiar figure does manage to infiltrate the Van Helsing home, though we’re never sure if the spectre is real or the manifestation of Mina’s own trauma. We’re tempted to side with the film’s weary parents as they do everything in their power to protect their boys. It’s equally possible that having grown up in a relatively happy home, Max and Rudy have the privilege to deny the harrowing battle their parents fought. A generation removed from Dracula’s assault, they could alternately be viewed as enlightened descendants righting terrible wrongs or delusional children convinced they know better than their seasoned elders.
Welliver finds the perfect balance between altruistic hero and sadistic villain. At times he feels like a compassionate protector merely trying to empower his sons, but his piercing blue eyes do not waver as he guides Max and Rudy through unthinkable acts. He’s equally believable as a beleaguered avenger staring down the end of his life and a sadistic serial killer trapping and dehumanizing female victims. Genre darling Donahue adds relatability to one of horror’s greatest heroines as she struggles to overcome Mina’s horrific past, but it’s Hepner and Mackey who anchor the film. We’re horrified on Rudy’s behalf as he’s ordered to dismember a corpse and we long for Max to assert his own power, breaking both sons away from their father’s control.
Though the story unfolds at a leisurely pace, a tense dread hangs over every scene and familiar creatures lurk in shadowy corners. Even the bleak sun and picturesque countryside provide no illusions of warmth and safety. We catch frightening glimpses of vampiric figures and are left to decide if they’re real there. And that’s not to mention the depraved nightmares hidden away in Van Helsing’s secret chamber under the house. But are Abraham’s boys threatened by an eternal creature of the night or have they been raised by a human monster intent on teaching them the tricks of his trade? Kermani plants a variety of seeds and leaves us to find answers for ourselves while complicating one of horror’s greatest heroes.
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