Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story (2025) Movie Review – Where to Watch Online
As a longtime fan of Dracula-inspired films, I went into Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story (2025) expecting gothic chills, maybe a few blood-sucking set pieces, and some old-fashioned monster-hunting action. What I got instead was… well, something very different.
Director Natasha Kermani (Lucky) and writer Joe Hill (yes, Stephen King’s son) take the famous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing and imagine him years after the events of Dracula, now living in the United States with his two sons, Max and Rudy. The setup sounds promising—a dark family drama tinged with horror and mystery. But in execution, it’s more of a slow-burn psychological piece… that often burns a little too slowly.
Plot Overview – A Family Haunted by the Past
Following the events of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing uproots his family to America in hopes of leaving his bloody past behind. His two sons—suspicious teen Max (Brady Hepner) and impressionable younger brother Rudy (Judah Mackey)—struggle to understand their father’s erratic, secretive behavior.
But in Kermani’s version, there’s a twist: Mina Harker (Jocelin Donahue) is still alive, now living with Abraham and her sons. Her presence should deepen the drama, but instead, she mostly serves as a mysterious figure from the past who may—or may not—believe in her husband’s vampire tales.
The real tension lies in one central question:
Are there still vampires out there? Or is Abraham simply a deeply unwell man passing down dangerous delusions to his children?
What Works – The Good, the Gorgeous, and the Gloom
Despite its flaws (and there are plenty), Abraham’s Boys isn’t without merit.
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Titus Welliver’s Performance: As Abraham Van Helsing, Welliver brings a commanding yet unsettling presence. You believe he’s a man haunted by something—whether supernatural or purely psychological.
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Visual Atmosphere: The film is gorgeous to look at. The muted color grading, candlelit interiors, and shadowy rural landscapes give it an authentic gothic feel.
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Psychological Angle: I appreciate that this isn’t another “vampires jump out of the shadows” movie. The idea of flipping Van Helsing into a potentially dangerous, obsessive father is intriguing.
Where It Falters – Slow Burn or No Burn?
Unfortunately, Abraham’s Boys struggles to turn its promising premise into an engaging story.
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Pacing Problems: The film moves at a crawl, dragging out scenes that don’t push the plot forward. What should feel tense ends up feeling tedious.
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Thin Storytelling: Joe Hill’s original short story was already minimal, and stretching it into a feature film exposes its narrative weaknesses.
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Missed Horror Opportunities: If you’re expecting vampires, scares, or even a big supernatural twist, you’re in for disappointment. The “horror” is mostly implied—and never fully delivered.
At times, the film feels like a gothic stage play, with long stretches of dialogue and not much action. That’s fine if the dialogue is razor-sharp and the drama compelling… but here, it too often feels flat.
Performances – The Cast Tries to Save It
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Titus Welliver (Bosch) is excellent in his moments of quiet menace, but the script doesn’t give him enough to fully unleash.
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Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil) is underused, though she has a haunting screen presence as Mina.
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Brady Hepner as Max captures the teenage mix of fear and defiance well, while Judah Mackey plays the wide-eyed younger brother with believable innocence.
Sadly, even strong performances can’t fix a sluggish narrative.
Themes – Madness, Memory, and Monsters
One of the more interesting aspects of Abraham’s Boys is its thematic ambiguity.
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Is Abraham a hero who once saved humanity from the undead?
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Or is he a man driven mad by trauma, passing on paranoia to his sons?
The film hints at both, but never commits. This could be a deliberate artistic choice—but it left me feeling unsatisfied, as if the movie refused to answer its own most compelling questions.
Streaming in the U.S. – Where to Watch Online
If you’re curious enough to check it out despite the mixed reviews, Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story (2025) is available on multiple platforms for rental or purchase:
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Amazon Prime Video – Rent or Buy
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Apple TV – Rent or Buy
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Google TV / Google Play – Rent or Buy
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Vudu – Rent or Buy
You can also track streaming availability here: JustWatch – Abraham’s Boys
Final Verdict – Gorgeous but Toothless
Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story had all the right ingredients: a talented cast, a fresh take on Dracula lore, and moody gothic visuals. But instead of a gripping psychological horror, we get a slow-moving family drama that rarely delivers on its intriguing setup.
If you love atmospheric, ambiguous dramas, you might appreciate the quiet tension and stunning cinematography. But if you came for vampires, suspense, or a thrilling continuation of Dracula, you’ll likely walk away disappointed.
Should You Watch It?
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Yes, if you enjoy slow-burn gothic dramas and don’t mind minimal horror elements.
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No, if you’re expecting action, scares, or a traditional Dracula movie.
If you still want to see how Abraham Van Helsing’s story unfolds, rent or buy Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story on your preferred streaming service. Just keep your expectations in check—you’ll get more brooding glances than blood-dripping fangs.
