Jette's RoomMovie Reviews | |
Back to ListingsVan HelsingStarring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh
Hugh Jackman's Van Helsing is a monster hunter in the late 19th century, sent by the Church to Eastern Europe. His mission is to save the last surviving members of the Valerious family from the evil creature, Dracula. Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale), the gypsy princess, is a capable heroine who initially resists Van Helsing' help in her attempts to defeat Dracula and his brides. If you are in the mood for a horror movie, this monster flick is not for you. I think I only jumped once during the entire film. Instead it came across as a half-campy tribute to the monster films of the past. The opening sequence is a very familiar Dr. Frankstein scene, setting the mood for the rest of the movie. The monsters include Dracula, his three lovely brides, Frankstein's Monster, werewolves, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde and Igor. The movie also contains numerous references to other films, including an undertaker straight out of Rocky Horror and a weapon selection scene mirroring James Bond and Q. The special effects are good, except for a very bad Mr. Hyde who ends up looking like an animated version of Andre the Giant. The metamorphosis sequences of the brides changing from lovely women into flying gargoyle-like creatures are cool to watch and the full moon wolfman sequences are quite graphic and disgusting (but in a good way *g*). My favourite bits of the movie were almost always from David Wenham (Faramir from LOTR), who plays Van Helsing's sidekick friar, Carl. He has fantastic one liners that added the perfect comedic touch to this non-serious monster movie. Although the plot has giant holes and the dialogue is extremely bad (and I mean really really bad), I still enjoyed this film quite a bit. It would be an excellent choice for a cheap Tuesday or a mindless matinee. Rating: I walked at a medium pace to and from the washroom. | |
