Fun with a capital F

Rating: Null/10 (5 May 2004)

I went into the cinema expecting a great deal of fun and that is exactly what I got. To expect anything else from this movie is just ludicrous and it delivers it's promise very well.
I am not one of these people that thinks that a movie should stick to one genre the whole time and can appreciate and well enjoy a mix of genres as this movie offers. Action-adventure, campy-comic and, at times, a very touching monster-movie. If you like plain white milk or straight black coffee then this movie is not for you.
While it would not be in the slightest bit scary for say, a 40 man or woman, there are a few jolts that really make you giggle at yourself and I expect the kiddies might get a few nightmares if they're young enough.
Hugh Jackman shares the screen deftly with David Wenham and Kate Bekinsale in such a way that I would definitely call it an ensemble piece. While Hugh's character (Van Helsing) is the titular role, the meat of the show seems pretty evenly distributed so don't expect a Hugh Jackman showcase. Of course Richard Roxburgh is divinely camp as Dracula and it's great to see a different slant on the old story. While the purists will hate this I think it's heaps of fun (that 'f' word again!).
The effects and cinematography are simply gorgeous, from a wolfman's eyes in the bushes to the flying bat-like creatures that are the "brides", there is nothing that will bore even the most jaded cinema-goers (yes even the spoiled 15yo's will like this one!). The scene with a wolfman howling at the moon as he changes back into a human is pure art. Gorgeous stuff ... pish-posh to all the "no cg"-sayers. Having said that, there are some really fantastic scenery shots (shot in Prague I think) that will have any dreamer/traveler drooling. These do not seem to involve cg.
As for the pacing, the movie grabs you immediately and never lets up ... not a roller coaster per sey, just a constant barrage that keeps you glued to the screen for it's entire run.
Yes it has faults, yes it's cheesy, yes it's all been done before, but who cares?! It's great fun and I recommend it to anyone with a sense of humour and a love of monster movies.
Bravo