This movie smells like a wet dog

Rating: 1/10 (6 August 2004)

I rarely rate movies as low as 1 but Van Helsing while theoretically deserving a 4 for craftsmanship in cutting, costumes and sf/x, I cannot rate it higher than 1 due to its utmost abhorrent script - plot? what plot? - performance and feeble attempts to be funny. What happened? I did enjoy "The Mummy" tremendously, I even liked the "Mummy Returns" but this is an outrage and Kate Beckinsale - already proven to be worst actress of the year in "Underworld" - seems to have a fable for showing off her body instead of her acting talents, which might prove difficult as these are seemingly nonexistent.
There are indeed many viewers who enjoyed this shallow pop corn flick and it's their good right to do so, but as fan of the genre I could merely wince in my chair seeing how such a potential character as Van Helsing goes to waste in yet another instalment of "all show and no brains".
Yet it began really promising with the hunt for Mr. Hyde (very nice CGI there) but sadly these first 15 minutes are the only highlight of this movie and Richard Roxburgh seems to be only actor worth his grain of salt.
Go see The Mummy again instead. 1/10.