This was a COMEDY Thriller!

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2005)

And worth watching if for nothing else but the tongue in cheek repartee between the characters. The costumes were outlandish and the weapons unbelievable but this is to be expected in an updated comic book-like storytelling of the legend of Dracula.
Only someone with a seriously fractured funny bone could possibly fail to grasp that the action of exaggerated falls, flips and aerial acrobatics was anything but comedy! Come on guys, get a grip! This is a movie designed to be campy and entertaining, like the Batman or Starwars movies of past decades.
Simply put, I liked it! And I also found it amusing to see so many character actors from other recently popular movies having a good time in this one. Look for the recognizable and not so recognizable actors from: Lord of the Rings, The Mummy, The X-Men and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. And watch for the lighthearted takeoff on the James Bond and Major Boothrow relationship. Try to guess who was who in what movie while you watch, and compare the actors performance in this movie to their other offerings. And note how Richard Roxburgh almost completely steals the show as the mesmerizing Old Count.
To summarize, the movie is a delight for the young at heart, the fans of make believe and devourers of comic books. Folks, see it for yourself and judge! Have some fun! Get a bowl of hot buttered popcorn and a big cold drink and lean back for a rollicking good time and a goodly number of belly laughs at the antics of our heroes, Van Helsing, Anna and Carl vs. the villains, Count Dracula, Igor and The Brides.