Great trailer, missed potential

Rating: 5/10 (28 October 2008)

This could have been the defining "Dracula" movie, but like many Hollywood movies, it took the low road. Too much focus on sex, and capturing the all important 18-40 demographic led to this movie's demise. First, let's start with the casting. When will people learn that Keanu Reeves should NEVER be cast in anything but surfer dude roles. His performance was so bland, and his "accent" so phony, I can't help but wonder if this is the same director that gave us "The Godfather" Second, Wynona Ryder is not much better, sorry folks. Her accent is barely passable, and she doesn't really seem right for the part either. (How about casting some British actors for the British characters?)
The movie does start strong in terms of storytelling, showing us the back story of the Dracula legend, with Gary Oldman as Vlad Dracul (or Tepes) the Romanian knight who goes off to war to fight the invading Muslim armies. After returning victorious, he is crushed to learn that his wife has committed suicide on the false information that he was killed in battle. Renouncing God, Vlad vows to fight for the powers of darkness, etc etc.
Fast forward 400 years, and Jonathan Harker, solicitor (Reeves) arrives to help a weird looking, ancient, Romanian Count (Dracula) purchase some property in London. What the costume designers and more importantly the hairstylists were thinking when they came up with this is anyone's guess. While Dracula is a creepy character, it goes completely over the top with the ridiculous hairstyle they give Drac. After some strange goings on, Harker realizes he is being help prisoner in Drac's castle, while Drac travels to London to seduce Harkers fiancée Mina, (Ryder) who is a dead ringer for Drac's late wife.
Needless to say, lots of sexual situations and "erotic" scenes ensue, with hammy acting on all accounts, especially from Anthony Hopkins (in the quasi comic relief character of Dr. Van Helsing, vampire hunter) The movie just never really realizes the potential the material has. Instead of making an "erotic thriller" , they should have tried making a scary vampire movie. (The novel does have enough material to do that) It's a shame this movie never lives up to it's potential, but that's Hollywood...