Does the idea of Dracula being a romantic hero bother anyone else?

Yeah, I've never liked that part of the story, villains are SO much more effective when they're sexy and unrepentantly bad, than when they're sappily romantic... but still bad! It's been done many times and doesn't make a villain more complex or interesting, it makes the romantic partner look like a fool who doesn't care if their crush is drenched in the blood of innocents.

No. But I hate this movie. It’s a cartoonish parody without the humor.

The 1979 film did a better job with the “romance” — though it’s more sexual abuse since Lucy is being controlled mentally — and making Dracula a terrifying foe. He looks like an idiot in this one.

Yes. It bothers me big time. It’s the worst change they made for this movie. If they wanted to make an origin love story for Dracula they should’ve called it something else, they definitely should not have attached Bram Stoker’s name to it.

It also bothers me that this is a celebrated version of Dracula. It does NOT deserve the popularity.

So the whole idea of making Dracula in love with Mina and she in return has always bothered me. We actually have the aforementioned scene in this film except it's depicted as erotic and consensual as opposed to him violating her.

Yes, it's the worst aspect of this movie. Everything else about this movie I love. I can even get past Keanu. But even barring the problematic-ness of it all, the lost love reincarnated storyline was just plain stupid and so unnecessary

But it WAS sexual assault, even in Coppola's version, because he has supernatural powers to affect her mind. It wasn't in her nature to behave like this, and the early scenes showing the juxtaposition between her and Lucy are there to make that clear. Do you also think Renfeld was naturally mental, and therefore just drawn to be his servant? No. Of course not.

The love story is between Johnathan Harker and Mina, and there is no other. Dracula is a predator.

She's also not the reincarnation of Elisabetha, even with the memories... those are inserted telepathically. Once the spell is broken, and his true nature revealed, Mina does not succumb to the evil and "unclean" nature and Winona's outstanding performance demonstrates that clearly. But it's too late.

At the end, it's different because she became an undead vampire like him. A bride. As she executes him at his request, the spell is broken it seems. Then, the film ends. There's nothing to say that she doesn't exit the castle and reunite with Harker and others, but it's just more edgy to conclude abruptly. Perhaps that accounts for your confusion?

Like others said it was a jerk move on Coopala's part to put that stupid love story between Mina and Dracula into the movie. Especially in a movie called Braham Stoker's Dracula.

Honestly, it does bother me in how commonplace it's become, to a point where even Stoker's own great-grandnephew felt the need to include it in his (admittedly, pretty terrible) sequel.