A textbook guilty pleasure

Rating: 7/10 (23 April 2005)

Many of us have, as children, engaged in the fascination of pitting various different fictional beloved characters against each other in a variety of scenarios. "What if Superman fought Spider-Man?" Van Helsing is the big-budget silver screen treatment of one of those scenarios, involving three of the biggest horror icons in film history, Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man. These three legends have been tossed into the blender, along with a mix of special effects, elaborate production design and action, then writer-director Stephen Sommers hit puree resulting in something, which, while not a masterpiece, does have the capability to entertain.
Although billed as a modern updating of the Universal horror films of the '30s and '40s, Van Helsing has very little in common with those films. They were low-budget mood pieces, cultivated by a studio which, as a "major minor" (i.e. a studio with no theater chain), couldn't afford to make the big event films that competitors such as MGM was churning out in those days. The horror film was also custom built for Universal's talent base, many of whom had a German film background and were steeped in German expressionism, featuring harsh shadows and dark subject matter. Van Helsing, on the other hand, while maintaining some of the look of those old films, is a hyped-up action film, lacking much in the way of any scares, no suspense to speak of, and enough money obviously being spent to fund a small country.
The film opens with a sequence filmed in black and white, proving Sommers does have an understanding of where the roots of his film come from. The prologue features Dr. Frankenstein bringing his creature to life, under the watchful eye of Count Dracula (Richard Roxburg). When Dr. Frankenstein isn't happy with the plans Dracula has for his creation, Dracula kills him and the monster flees, only to be trapped in a nearby windmill which is burned to the ground by an angry mob of villagers. The film then introduces us to our hero, hunting down one Mr. Hyde in the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, a double homage to both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. After dispatching Hyde, Van Helsing, working for a secret organization representing all religions of the world, is ordered to Transylvania to assist the dying Valerious clan, who has sworn a pact to never enter heaven until Dracula is destroyed, and of whom only two are left, sister and brother Anna (Kate Beckinsale) and Velkan. In Transylvania, Van Helsing, accompanied by a medieval version of Q, Friar Carl (David Wenham), discovers that Dracula is planning to use the research of Dr. Frankenstein to bring his undead children to life, not to mention that Velkan has been transformed into a werewolf by Dracula, and that Frankenstein's monster has survived and is being hunted by Dracula.
As with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns before it, Van Helsing is a film that has it's tongue firmly planted in it's cheek. You can never really take anything too seriously at any point in the film, it all has a light air to it. Many have been turned off by this aspect of the film, but I didn't find it distracting. Sure, it's not Shakespeare, but it also isn't total camp either. It's absolutely ridiculous, yes, but Sommer's energy and desire to have a good time is infectious, and the film was just fun to watch.
Van Helsing is wall-to-wall action from start to finish. Thre is little time to take a breath in between one major set-piece and the next, so those looking for a slow-paced film had best look elsewhere. Van Helsing is all chases, fights, shoot-outs and brawls, and yet, unlike films from uber-action director Michael Bay, the action sequences never really get boring. Perhaps it's because they are all unique in one sense or another, with Sommers never really repeating something after using it once. The action sequences are top notch also, well choreographed and exciting. If you are in search of a good action film, Van Helsing would fit the bill on this level.
Van Helsing also features stunning production design. I have always been a fan of Gothic horror film imagery, and this film is bathed in it. From the castles, to the costumes, to the weaponry, it's a feast for the eyes and should be in contention for the art direction award come Oscar season.
Acting wise, Van Helsing is a mixed bag. Hugh Jackman equits himself well enough, managing to stay believable while surrounded by strange sights and sounds. Kate Beckinsale, as Anna, doesn't fare quite as well. Her accent and sometimes overblown reactions to what's happening on screen help make her one of the less impressive performers in the film. Richard Roxburg is a bit over the top at times with his accent and mannerisms, but the material pretty much calls for it. The worst example of actors pushing the limits are Dracula's three brides (Elena Anaya, Sylvia Colloca and Josie Maran) who are constantly writhing, hissing, spitting and just generally making a nuisance of themselves. They could have been toned down considerably.
Van Helsing is a film that would be filed in the area of "guilty pleasure." There is stuff here to criticize, but at the same time, I can't help but enjoy myself while watching it, and in the end, isn't that all that matters.