Set brain to "idle," relax and enjoy

Rating: Null/10 (11 May 2004)

Once the plot elements are in place, the action is nonstop, which leads one to forget, or at least ignore, the gaping holes in said plot. The special effects are riveting in some places, cartoonish in others. The sexy yet sexless harpies may rate Oscar consideration for special effects. Jackman, Beckinsale and Roxburgh all have a strong "presence" in the film, something I always look for. The movie has elements of not only Dracula and Frankenstein, but also of James Bond and Lord of the Rings, and probably other stories and films that I have missed. A couple of plot and theme elements are unresolved at the end, leaving open the possibility of a SEQUEL--the dreaded "S" word.
--Spoiler-- Two characters who you would expect to die in movies of this genre are still alive at the closing credits, while one expected survivor dies at the end.