A Must For Fans of Classic Monsters and Modern Audiences Alike

Rating: 7/10 (26 June 2009)

Stephen Sommers once again takes a classic horror film refurbishes it into a modern action flick. I find it a very well made film actually. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale star in the lead roles and they both portray their characters excellently. Van Helsing had always been an interesting character to me, seeing as he's been in nearly every film Dracula has (besides "Blade: Trinity"). I was wondering when they were finally going to make a movie of about him. Finally, the day came. Jackman is perfect for the role. Also starring is David Wenham, who provides a lot of the comic relief in the film. This film too me wouldn't be what it is without his comedic elements, seriously. The visual effects are incredible, especially with the werewolf transformation scenes, astonishingly real. The end fight between the Hugh Jackman Werewolf and Dracula is by far my favorite scene in the film. The CGI, lighting, and brutality of the fight all come together excellently here. The story was incredibly well done by my standards, including elements from several of the classic monster movies, even "Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde". The only one Sommers did leave out was "Creature from the Black Lagoon". At the same time don't expect a true classic like those films, but merely an action movie of Sommers material.
The action is adrenaline pumping and impressive, although the carriage scene is at times a bit over the top. The only other things that bug me is one, that ball room scene is never really explained. So were those all of Dracula's victims from over time, as I'm guessing, or what? Plus, how does one of those egg pod thing things even fit out of a bride's V-JJ, or in her womb as apparently, according to Frankenstein, they have several in one birthing. And they constantly hint to how Van Helsing got this amnesia, as if there is to be sequel or something, very distracting at times. Getting off those subjects, the music by Alan Silvestri is very well done and fits the film perfectly. The music at the climactic battle is one of the best pieces he's done in a while, especially as Van Helsing realizes the horror of the things he's done ( if you don't know what I'm talking about, see the film). Excellent SFX and action, but many a plot hole, "Van Helsing" is still quite the fun film.