Disappointing Summer Action

Rating: 5/10 (4 September 2004)

One of the most hyped summer movies in recent memory, Van Helsing was supposed to become another franchise. A television series was purportedly in the works, and, with Stephen Sommers writing and directing it, what could go wrong? The film never made back its production costs at the box office. Hugh Jackman stars as Van Helsing, an Indiana Jones-like vampire (and all around monster) slayer. The film opens with a richly-detailed nod to Universal's original Frankenstein from 1931. The similarities end there however. Somehow I had the feeling that this film would rely on some of the original horror tenants of chills, scares, shocks, and pathos. There was little of any of the four. Instead, there was an Indiana Jones vampire slayer flying or hopping from one CGI sequence and one fantastic set decoration to another. Soon, Van Helsing meets up with Anna Valerious, played by British beauty Kate Beckinsale. She and her family have beefs with Dracula, played by Richard Roxburgh, and so she reluctantly joins forces with Van Helsing in order to vanquish Dracula. Dracula has plans to bring his "children" to life through some shady method or other. Roxburgh plays Dracula as more modern than the period portrayed with unintentionally funny dialog, and, at times, a poor Bela Lugosi imitation. Beckinsale is very appealing with her corset/goth look, but her character is underdeveloped, as are all the characters, and she seems to do little except be highlighted in isolated battles with the dark forces or be in trouble. David Wenham adds welcome comic relief as Carl the monk, Van Helsing's sidekick. Shuler Hensley is also appealing as a Frankenstein that seems to be more human than ones we've encountered in previous films. Elena Anaya and the other vampire brides add an R rated sensuality, which seems inappropriate at times to this PG-13 movie. The real star of the film is the art direction and set decoration, which was to be preserved in a television series until the idea was later scrapped. The problem with the film is its computer game look and pace, which do little for character and plot development. What was the Dr. Jekyll character doing in the film besides serving as an excuse for a ferocious CGI battle with Van Helsing? During some of the battles, it seemed like characters swung around with relative ease and too much reckless abandon that I thought I was watching stunt doubles instead of characters. The horse coach sequence, although exciting, was hopelessly phony at the key moment. We had Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll, and the wolf man. The mummy, also made by Stephen Sommers, was conspicuously absent. The plot tying the monsters together was very unsatisfying. One horror legend would have been enough with a better story and richer characters. Roxburgh would not have been enough to carry the horror side alone, which explains why really none of the actors stood out. The parts were not written well to begin with. The ending also seemed out of place, as there was never much of a romance between Jackson and Beckinsale either. Still the film entertains in a hokey, non-thinking sort of way. The quick pace is necessary both because of the movie's running time and its lack of character/story content. It's a guilty pleasure to be sure. ** of 4 stars.