R. M. Renfield, Dracula's patient, insect-eating minion, appears in Chris McKay's horror-comedy.
Is given more attention, with Nicolas Cage's portrayal of the legendary vampire serving as the film's trump card.
The overall result is a bizarre mix of fast-paced action, cartoonish gore, and restrained humor.
Cage's usual flamboyant grandstanding is replaced by a supporting role in which less is ultimately more.
Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) and Dracula are imprisoned in an abandoned New Orleans hospital.
The latter is recovering from a vampire hunter encounter that left him overdone.
To introduce the characters, the film begins with a superb black and white reproduction of the 1931 classic Dracula.
Renfield joins a support group for those in abusive relationships and decides to help his fellow members.