I was watching the Sci-Fi Channel when this movie started and when I saw the title, I thought someone finally did a biographical movie and started watching with interest. I admit Peter Weller starring in the movie got my attention too. It started OK with the maps like Bram Stoker's Dracula had, but when the first ever scene started, I knew this was another fantasy Dracula movie without the vampires. Expect only a very few points of facts from the actual history here. I compared it to history and might sound like too much criticizing but since it claims to be a true story I couldn't help it. If it was to have just the title, I would have watched it as fiction.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT. There are really no spoilers here but just some historical comparisons. But if you don't want to see it or think you'd be bored by it, or that it can be a spoiler, then I'd suggest not to read beyond this point* The costumes of the Turks are far from accurate (They look like they wear WWI British desert hats made out of metal. The outfits are not even close to the actual uniforms of the Ottomans.), the sultan wears an Arabic outfit rather than the actual historic Ottoman one, is made to look like a gay, dark and long haired Fabio who has a crush on Romanian boys (Which is funny because the Sultan himself was rarely present there if not never). The Sultan tortures a kid in front of his soldiers which is unseen in actual history. All of Vlad's atrocities and sadism, while shown in a few hints in the movie, are actually reversed and reflected in the Turks and Vlad himself is shown like a poor innocent victim of the circumstances who couldn't help it. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that the movie was made by Romanian fanatics of Vlad Tepes. Not a lot other than his atrocities and sadistic pleasures is known about Vlad himself since most of his historical records were burned to ashes by Romanians themselves since they've tried to cover up Vlad's attempts at helping the Turks conquer his own country to save himself from execution for what he's done to the Turkish prisoners of war. The Sultan in actual history offers several chances at peace to Vlad before commanding his generals to have Vlad's head brought to him after hearing what has been done to prisoners of war and his messengers. The death of Vlad Tepes in the movie is not even remotely close to actual history either. Sure there are a few scenes which have historical facts in them but like I've said before, they are very few.
I think movie makers are starting to abuse the quote "A True Story" or "Based On A True Story" taking only a grain of fact and building a mostly fictional story on it. As a fantasy movie with very few hints of facts it's very entertaining. But to call this movie historically a true story would be a crime and be like calling The Adventures of Baron Munchausen a true story. I have yet to see a movie based on the true story of Vlad Tepes with historical accuracy. Don't get me wrong, this movie tries very hard to look real, but it's not.
As an entertaining movie I'd give it more than 5 stars but calling it a true story, it gets 5.
I hope those who've read this found it informative. Those who think I'm getting into a flame fight, I really am not. I'm merely sharing my own opinions about this movie and everyone is entitled to their own if yours is different.
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT. There are really no spoilers here but just some historical comparisons. But if you don't want to see it or think you'd be bored by it, or that it can be a spoiler, then I'd suggest not to read beyond this point* The costumes of the Turks are far from accurate (They look like they wear WWI British desert hats made out of metal. The outfits are not even close to the actual uniforms of the Ottomans.), the sultan wears an Arabic outfit rather than the actual historic Ottoman one, is made to look like a gay, dark and long haired Fabio who has a crush on Romanian boys (Which is funny because the Sultan himself was rarely present there if not never). The Sultan tortures a kid in front of his soldiers which is unseen in actual history. All of Vlad's atrocities and sadism, while shown in a few hints in the movie, are actually reversed and reflected in the Turks and Vlad himself is shown like a poor innocent victim of the circumstances who couldn't help it. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that the movie was made by Romanian fanatics of Vlad Tepes. Not a lot other than his atrocities and sadistic pleasures is known about Vlad himself since most of his historical records were burned to ashes by Romanians themselves since they've tried to cover up Vlad's attempts at helping the Turks conquer his own country to save himself from execution for what he's done to the Turkish prisoners of war. The Sultan in actual history offers several chances at peace to Vlad before commanding his generals to have Vlad's head brought to him after hearing what has been done to prisoners of war and his messengers. The death of Vlad Tepes in the movie is not even remotely close to actual history either. Sure there are a few scenes which have historical facts in them but like I've said before, they are very few.
I think movie makers are starting to abuse the quote "A True Story" or "Based On A True Story" taking only a grain of fact and building a mostly fictional story on it. As a fantasy movie with very few hints of facts it's very entertaining. But to call this movie historically a true story would be a crime and be like calling The Adventures of Baron Munchausen a true story. I have yet to see a movie based on the true story of Vlad Tepes with historical accuracy. Don't get me wrong, this movie tries very hard to look real, but it's not.
As an entertaining movie I'd give it more than 5 stars but calling it a true story, it gets 5.
I hope those who've read this found it informative. Those who think I'm getting into a flame fight, I really am not. I'm merely sharing my own opinions about this movie and everyone is entitled to their own if yours is different.