Satire,spoof or semi-serious?

Rating: 7/10 (11 March 2006)

Satire,spoof-or a semi-serious horror movie? Director/writer Stephen Sommers combines all three in this enjoyable flick which I dug up in my local library. Indicates it wasn't a howling box office or DVD success! Van Helsing is full of references to other past movies such as The legendary 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame,starring Charles Laughton as the batty bell-ringer. I won't spoil your fun. See how many references you can spot yourselves. Then there are characters from other horror classic tales who make freaky "guest appearances" like Mr Hyde, played by marvellous British character actor Robbie Coltrane. Coltrane is equally adept at turning his hand to both comedy or serious drama such as the highly-acclaimed British crime series Cracker. So he's ideally cast in this deft mix of spoof and real blood-curdling horror. The plot - if you can call it one - revolves around the notorious monster hunter Van Helsing,played by rising Australian star Hugh Jackman. Being a Melbourne-based entertainment writer, I was familiar with Jackson's pre-Tinsel Town work. He first showed his star quality in an Australian TV prison drama Correlli where he played an inmate who had an affair with a female warder. It wasn't long before Hollywood beckoned the gifted young actor. I have a gut feeling that director Sommers told Jackman to adopt fellow Aussie actor Mel Gibson's transpacific accent. Because he sounds remarkably like Mel in places. The writer/director also has Van Helsing wear an Australian bush ranger's hat! A private joke between him and Jackman?! Another top down under thespian Richard Roxburgh co-stars as Count Vladislaus Dracula. What a superb performance,too. Roxburgh plays it dead straight - and there are some really spine-chilling moments. In fact,when the dark menace of Vlad appears, it's a scream a minute...as he stakes out his victims. He unleashes some truly horrible creatures-including the sexy lycra-clad Harpies,who are very lustful,vengeful ladies indeed (!) - and those terrifying teeth-baring,blood-drooling were-wolves. Stunning British actress Kate Beckinsale is the truculent Transylvanian Gypsy Princess Anna who attracts the attention of Van Helsing - and Dracula. Van Helsing's intentions towards the heroine are honorable - but the salacious Count only wants to sink his fangs into Anna's pristine white neck. The special effects creators have done a brilliant job on what I would think wasn't a massive budget. You can almost hear the studio props creak! Today's savvy film-goers want their special effects to surround-sound them out of their seats. But,nevertheless,director Sommers shows plenty of flair and I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of his product-with bigger budgets-in the future. Meanwhile, it was great just to sit back and enjoy a cleverly-made movie.