Had a great potential...

Rating: Null/10 (5 December 2004)

Van Helsing is a great character, no doubt about it. And the new "pumped-up" version is great. The hat, the costume etc. And Hugh Jackman has the looks for the role. Everything should have been great.
But, something went wrong in the process. And that thing is linked with Stephen Sommer's will to do too much. The movie, after a very promising start (the b&w part, face to face with Mr. Hyde, the Vatican), but it then slips in a very common action flick. There is just too much action, and we get sick of it. Scenes that could have been great were they in another context or after a longer pause (the coach-bride-werewolf scene) just tire us, and we are not impressed anymore...
This movie would have needed way more suspense, more pauses between the action parts and more inspired dialogue.
And yes, Kate Beckinsale is absolutely gorgeous, but why the annoying accent??
There is a lot to say about it, about what is good (art directing, costumes) and bad (overdose of action etc), but a part from that, its at times enjoyable, even if we can only be frustrated because of what it could have been.