One step from The Mummy

Rating: Null/10 (7 May 2004)

Van Helsing gets 2 out of 4 stars. Director Stephen Summers did an excellent job with a movie that strongly resembles his two other Universal Studios blockbusters, The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. It's weak CGI graphics will dissapoint viewers that want to see the "effects of the year". The Wolfman and Vampire effects are not very realistic, quite like the The Rock looked as the Scorpion King in The Mummy returns, only a little better.
Director Summers did a good job of making the love story a part of what could have been another summer action flick. And the first 10 minutes of the film bring you back to the old Universal horror films like Dracula and Frankenstein. Hugh Jackman is not at his best, the part lacks a character to be developed, but does a good job as always. He seems to be able to make even the most lackluster character turn out fine. Kate Beckinsale does a great job and even has the gypsy accent to go with it. She is as beautiful as always. The supporting cast also does a superb job of playing their parts even though the script lacks character development until the last 20 minutes of the film when we discover Van Helsing's past.
The film is a fun film to see in the theater but isn't a buyer when it hits the stores on DVD. Universal will definetly get their dollars worth out of it, but is it really worth a sequal?