Oh come on lighten up people...

Rating: Null/10 (22 May 2004)

Ever heard of a spoof, or a parody perhaps... why is everyone taking this movie so seriously when it should be obvious to one and all that the director intended it to be a parody of all the old horror movies... comparing this to the original Frankenstein, Dracula and Wolfman movies is like comparing Airplane to the original Airport or Posidon Adventure... it is great, it is funny, it pays homage to so many of the old horror flicks that you almost get dizzy keeping up with the references... if anyone for a second thought about taking this movie seriously you only had to see Kate Beckinsale's outfit to realize that the director was thinking more of Zena than he was of a transylvanian maid... duh why do you think Van Helsing was wearing a fedora, for style perhaps, no cause you were supposed to think of him as Indiana Jones..., and the ballroom scene was a perfect lift from "Dance of the Vampires".... and the Q character could not have been more in your face "I am a complete parody of Q in the James Bond movies" if he'd have tried... come on folks this is not rocket science, noone is going to be cured of cancer by a movie, this is entertainment pure and simple and all of the actors had a blast overacting their pants off in this wonderful parody... if I have one problem it is that the CGI was a little too much sometimes.... I think the stage coach scene would have been much more fun if we had seen Hugh Jackman (or a stuntman) actually jumping from horse to horse rather than seeing a CGI character do it... however a couple of scenes scared the poop out of me (particularly the stage coach scene where they are driving along the edge of a cliff - read scared of heights anyone - also read plucked straight from the Bram Stoker's Dracula of late)... oh btw I am very confused at the people who want to know more about Van Helsings past..., were you not paying attention? It is stated quite clearly, VH is the archangel Gabriel, he originally killed Dracula... which is what turned Dracula into a vampire... sorry if you didn't catch it, perhaps you were too busy comparing to the lighting to that in Nosferantu..... oh and as for the princess's death.... well Dracula was dead, she could now die in peace knowing her entire family would be going to paradise her family's mission was over..., sorry you probably missed that too cause you were too busy comparing the lightning bolts in this one and the original Frankenstein... come on lighten up folks turn off your damn critics brain and enjoy this movie for what it is damn good fun. I loved it and will watch it again and again to catch more references that I may have missed the first time (I am sure there are loads of them). Can't wait to get it on DVD.