Don't be deterred by bad reviews

Rating: 9/10 (8 June 2004)

This is the best film I've seen lately- not because of any dramatic impact that it carries, but simply because it is a fun, well-designed, monster flick. Understand that you can't go into a movie featuring Frankenstein's Monster and expect Shakespeare. The plot is admittedly thin, and the Universal Monsters have been around for so long that they've become somewhat unimpressive, but the director has done a very good job of minimizing these factors to create a visually and emotionally appealing film. The sets and characters are beautifully designed; there are no real instances of bad acting; the action is fast-paced and not too predictable; and the whole thing combines to create one really great adventure film, if you only give it a chance. I'm glad that I did. A must-see for vampire-lovers, and for those who liked The Mummy and Pirates of the Caribbean.