Van Helsing

Rating: 4/10 (14 February 2008)

I admit I did want to see this when it was at the cinemas, but seeing I'm glad I didn't, but it is okay film from director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns), who I suppose is trying to capture some of the other memorable Universal monsters in one film. The film opens with Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Samuel West) creating his monster, but with Count Vladislaus Dracula (Moulin Rouge's Richard Roxburgh), you understand why they were working together later, but of course Frankenstein and his monster (Shuler Hensley) are burned by the outside mob, while Dracula escapes. Years later (stil the 19th Century by the way) we go to the great Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), a famed monster hunter trying to catch Dr. Jekyll, or rather Mr. Hyde (Robbie Coltrane), and failing. But anyway, the real story comes about when he is given a mission to protect the last two members of the Valerious family in Transylvania. When he and his friar sidekick Carl (The Lord of the Rings' David Wenham) gets there, Van Helsing at first is questionable, especially by Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale, putting on quite a sexy Transylvanian accent), but he proves his worth when some vampires start attacking. As the plot develops we find out that Dracula is planning a mass attack on the town for all the blood they lust, by hatching some eggs full of deadly bat-type creatures. To do this though, the need an electrical charge that can only come from either lightning, or with the help of Frankenstein's monster, who is still living. As it continues, Anna's brother Velkan (Will Kemp) is turned into a werewolf, Dracula is defeated almost really easily, Van Helsing's werewolf is stopped, but he failed to complete his mission, i.e. Anna dies. Also starring Elena Anaya as Aleera, The Mummy's Kevin J. O'Connor as Igor, The Mummy Returns' Alun Armstrong as Cardinal Jinette, Silvia Colloca as Verona, Josie Maran as Marishka and Tom Fisher as Top Hat. The special effects are good, the dialogue is really cheesy, the acting isn't much better, it is just lame, and only worth watching at least once. Okay!