Abraham Boys: A Dracula Story is a new film distributed by Shudder coming to theaters this weekend. Directed by Natasha Kermani and based on the short story by Joe Hill, the film stars Titus Welliver, Jocelin Donahue, Aurora Perrineau, Judah Mackey, and Brady Hepner. Max and Rudy Van Helsing have spent their lives under the strict and overprotective rule of their father, Abraham. Unaware of his dark past, they struggle to understand his paranoia and increasingly erratic behavior. But when they begin to uncover the violent truths behind their father’s history with Dracula, their world unravels, forcing them to confront the terrifying legacy they were never meant to inherit.

I am at this interesting point in my film career where I am yearning for more original movies outside of the normal summer blockbuster tentpoles. This has been a great year for film in general, but I still want to support smaller movies that may not get as much notice. Like many other Shudder originals, this one also releases in theaters, and there’s only a few screenings at my local theater! If you have the opportunity to go see it, go see it. I think when others hear Shudder, they expect straight up horror. While this one has a horror tone, there’s something more unique about it that’s worth exploring.

The only things I knew about the movie were that it was a Dracula story based on the title and the image shown at the end of this review. I knew nothing else, and I love it when I can go into a movie with little information. At 89 minutes, it was easy to fit this movie into my busy schedule. For such a short runtime, I was consistently engaged from start to finish, and that’s based on how the film throws you right into the story.

It’s ironic that this movie comes out the same day as Superman as both movies throw you right into the story, expecting the audience to fully understand what came before and who this important main character is. Titus Welliver is great in the lead role as he shows so much hurt with what he’s gone through and what kind of person he has become now. The film could have benefitted from adding a prologue or a flashback to what his character goes through to make sense of who he is today. At least that could have improved a runtime that’s already quite short.

The short runtime might leave viewers wanting more. The film manages to hit every plot point needed to give these characters the arcs they need and deserve. At the same time, there’s little build up to the important moments that ultimately can make it feel underwhelming. Considering how fast-paced the movie is, I still found myself engaged. It still manages to be quite intense, and that’s all due to Natasha Kermani’s solid direction.

While the film is labeled as a horror movie, the true horror comes from what happens to these characters and where they end up thematically. Kermani isn’t reinventing the wheel with the film’s themes. She’s using familiar themes to put a new spin on a character we know. It makes us question family ideals and how we hold on to our history. While Abraham has the best of intentions for his family, its the barriers he puts up around him that prevents the characters from being their best selves. It’s how trauma can be passed down from generation to generation.

With all that being said, if you are looking for something that fully leans into horror, temper your expectations. The jump scares show promise, but they don’t fully meet their potential, which is ironic for me to say since I don’t really care for jump scares. The problem here is the film tries to rely on them and they simply don’t land. They either come across as too abrupt or something you can see a mile away. You can see something kin of standing in the darkness, and just when you know something’s about to come, it comes without subverting your expectations some more.

The fact that this is so short feels like a blessing and a curse. I love when a film can get in and get out, which is exactly what this does. I actually think the performances make up for the little character development we get. It makes up for how mysterious Abraham is when we already know his backstory. It’s the way the film concludes that makes us wanting more. By the time you reach the third act, the film rushes to the finish line. For such an interesting world, I wanted to see more of it. While the film may leave us on an important thematic note, it still left me wanting more.

Overall, Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story may left me craving for more, but it still managed to leave me with a good enough impression to recommend me. Natasha Kermani shows promise as an up-and-coming filmmaker that you need to pay attention to. The performances are great. The tension is nail-biting. The film is thematically rich. If you have the opportunity to see one of the few time slots this weekend, I’d say go for it.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)