Van Helsing (2004)

You can't even find Vanhelstink in the bargin bin.

Another clunker I forgot to review.
I love Hugh in the X Men movies.
But not even his skills can save this movie from sucking utterly.
Just so so FX, but the rest of it.........YAWN!!!
Not a horror movie nor a comedy, I'm not sure exactly what Vanhelstinky is trying to do except suck. It succeeds brilliantly on that level anyway.
Bad script, limp direction, pretty much everything was bad.
It bombed at the theater, and to think I actually paid to see this IN the theater.
Hugh is awesome, I'm glad people forgot about this one and didn't hold it against him.
NOT RECOMMENDED!!! July 15, 2008

The angel Gabriel

I don't know why some people have panned this. I love this movie. It's not cheesy; it pays a clever and insightful homage to old monster movies. I applaud Stephen Sommers for his extensive knowledge of the subject, so that he can do this accurately. As a director, Sommers also makes good casting decisions, and doesn't rely on the special effects to make his film -- something that should be appreciated more in this largely technological age, I feel. The climatic twist in "Van Helsing" happens to be extraordinarily touching and romantic, and a bittersweet example of good triumphing over evil -- something else that I really appreciate in my entertainment in this day and age. I honestly recommend "Van Helsing," for repeated watching, despite the bad reviews. July 11, 2008

A thrilling horror story

I bought this movie because I loved watching Hugh Jackman in the X-Men movie. I'm also a horror movie fan.

This was an excellent, frightening, fast-paced movie. The special effects were fantastic.

The extras were well-appreciated: a tour of Dracula's castle, the Legend of Van Helsing, Bringing the Monsters to life.

I'm an amateur graphic artist, so I appreciate such insights into how such effects were created.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone with similar tastes to mine. June 29, 2008

Proof that less is more

I really wanted to like "Van Helsing," especially after reading various interviews with the director who acknowledged that he was inspired by his love for the Universal horror classics. Unfortunately, he comes closer to recreating the mediocrity of 1944's "House of Frankenstein" than one of the studio's superior horror classics from the 1930's.

There is a lot to like about "Van Helsing." The sets are impressive and the special effects can not be faulted. There are plenty of impressive action sequences that can make you gasp. In the end, though, it proves the old adage that "less is more."

The movie is positively stuffed from end to end with breathtaking stunts and special effects, leaving little time for character development or story. That's unfortunate because there are, indeed, several novel twists worth exploring, such as Dracula's financial support of Dr. Frankenstein's experiments. But this is simply mentioned then quickly discarded in favor of stunts and effects that grow monotonous because they are so plentiful. There's never time to catch your breath. For some viewers, these complaints may sound more like recommendations. Rest assured, if it's action you want, this movie delivers . . . and delivers, and delivers.

Hugh Jackman is okay, but his Van Helsing is closer in spirit to Indiana Jones and James Bond than the character created by Bram Stoker and played to perfection in other movies by such actors as Edward Van Sloan, Peter Cushing, Laurence Olivier and Anthony Hopkins. As Dracula, however, Richard Roxburgh seems too intent on channeling Bela Lugosi and too often brings to mind Al Lewis, Grandpa on "The Munsters," instead.

Frankenstein's monster and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde also put in appearances, but nothing really progresses beyond the surface level. Too bad. The premise is great. The effects are superb. The action is well-staged. The story, however, falls short.

Brian W. Fairbanks June 9, 2008

One of the worst horror/fantasy movies of all times.

It's one of the worst horror/fantasy movies of all times. The worst thing is the special effects. For example, when Van Helsing was shooting the bats with his crossbow, the scene looked like a painted picture. The same thing happened in many other scenes. The acting is so so. The plot reveals nothing new about this genre. June 8, 2008

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