Critics’ reviews

Nosferatu (1922)

10 reviews from 10 publications. Critics’ score 88: 10 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

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88
Positive
10
Mixed
0
Negative
0
Radio Times
★★★★★ · Alan Jones
100

Jones calls the film the most frightening incarnation of the vampire count in horror history. He praises Max Schreck’s mesmerising performance and the tension sustained by Murnau’s silent imagery.

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Slant Magazine
27 November 2007 · ★★★★/4 · Rob Humanick
100

The critic calls the film a silent masterpiece and one of cinema’s preeminent firsts. He especially praises Murnau’s striking visual imagery and Max Schreck’s performance and makeup.

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Time Out
21 October 2013 · ★★★★★ · Tom Huddleston
100

The critic calls the film ground zero for horror cinema. The available description singles out its place in the birth of the genre, while noting its loose adaptation of Dracula.

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Empire
1 January 2011 · Kim Newman
90*

Newman gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it essential and the greatest screen Dracula. He singles out Max Schreck’s nightmarish performance as the vampire, while noting a few unwise directorial choices.

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IndieWire
25 October 2010 · robbiefreeling
90*

The critic calls the film exceptionally chilling and more bewitching than other adaptations of Stoker’s story. They single out Max Schreck’s unnerving performance and Murnau’s striking use of space and composition.

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Variety
31 December 1921 · Variety Staff
80*

The review is clearly positive about the film’s direction and visual craft. It singles out the imaginative cinematography and Max Schreck’s effective pantomime performance.

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RogerEbert.com
70*

The page appears to be a Great Movies review, but its text is inaccessible. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified.

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Collider
22 December 2024 · 9/10 · Gaby Shedwick
90

Shedwick finds the century-old film still terrifying and a cornerstone of horror, despite some dated qualities. She especially praises Max Schreck’s nightmarish Count Orlok and the film’s haunting visual presentation.

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Polygon
20 January 2022 · Siddhant Adlakha
90*

The critic presents Nosferatu as a timeless horror milestone whose plague themes feel newly resonant. They single out the film’s color tinting and Max Schreck’s performance for their lingering, unsettling effect.

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Eye for Film
9 February 2002 · Keith Hennessey Brown
70*

The review is positive, arguing that the film’s strengths outweigh its awkward moments. It singles out Max Schreck’s compelling performance and Murnau’s blend of naturalistic and expressionistic elements for praise.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate