Not bad at all

Rating: Null/10 (17 May 2004)

Well, I've read some of the comments on this one, but I guess I like this kind of movies too much to think it's a bad one. It's actually one of the best in this genre I've seen so far (in the last 5 years or so), I'd like to see it again sometime soon.
Sure it lacks the well-liked ironic twist of movies like The Mummy 1&2 and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but that's because it's somewhere between those and a movie like Ghost Ship (bit more serious).
Also the story would've been more appealing if it wasn't so questionable to whether any part of the movie was actually shot in Transsylvania.
And yes, it would've been a better movie if the characters were a little less shallow, if there was a deeper plot and if some humour and possibly some more 'romantic' scenes were thrown in.
I know I would've liked the movie even more with all of that in, but then it would've become a 3-hour movie, because it would be a crying shame to leave out or shorten some of the action scenes.
The attention to detail in general and in the action scenes in particular is great, but it's just one of those movies where the special effects are most impressive when seen in a movie theatre.
There's little time to enjoy all of it though, because the story goes on and on at a whalloping speed. I wouldn't have mind sitting out the above mentioned longer/better version, but in reality the current two hours plus is already more than enough for most people I think.
Having said this all, it's not a movie everyone will like, but definitely one worth seeing.