Genre: Action - Horror
Length: 132 mins
Released: May 7, 2004
Rating: PG-13
Distibutor: Universal
Director: Stephen Sommers
Producer: Bob Ducsay
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, Elena Anaya, David Wenham etc
INTRODUCTION
This is my second review on Hollywood movies after ''Resident Evil''. I had been thinking about writing on English movies for lots of time, but I got one worthy of writing a review on after a long time. I can't think of any other new Hollywood movies worth writing a review on except ''Van Helsing''. If you ever watch this one, you will come to know why.
I heard that a game on Van Helsing has released and I just can't wait to lay my hands on it. The major thing is that I just love vampire movies. I saw ''Interview with the vampire'', ''Vampires'', Vampire Journals'', ''Blade'', ''Dracula'' etc and all of them were really entertaining.
After hearing about Van Helsing and seeing the trailer, I couldn't resist seeing it even if I didn't have much expectaions as most of the new horror films managed to disappoint me like ''Hellboy''. I got disappointed as the third of Harry Potter series didn't impress me as the first too and I wanted to see a good one badly and I got Van Helsing.
The only problem I found was that the end of the movie was so sentimental that I felt like hearing ''Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha'' - all sentiments. Van had been one of my favourite words because of Rob Van Dam of WWE. I thought that I am taking a high risk of wasting money by watching this movie, but it was not the case as this one amazed or may be impressed me highly!
THE MOVIE
The movie got some sentiments into the action-horror collection. The action sequences were pretty good even if the last one seemed a bit over.....but the movie got lots of different types of action that will get your attention.
The movie got vampires, were wolves, the good old frankenstein monster and the great Count Dracula (He is more powerful than Bram Stocker ever dreamt about in his entire life) with his girl friends - I mean brides which makes me remember what my friend asked me when I told him about this movie.
He asked for the difference between were wolves and vampires. I think that the main difference is that were wolves transform into man when not active and vampires stay inside their coffins at night. The former eats humans while vampires drink the blood. Do give me more differences through your comments. I expect them - I certainly do.
THE PLOT
Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is trained for wiping of all the evil monsters that create horror on the surface of the earth by the Vatican city (which makes me remember the character with the same name in Bram Stocker's Dracula).
He got no super powers, but manages to kick those monsters off -that highly impressive. Thats why is the most wanted man is Europe. He is doing his missions perfectly before he is sent to Romania - this time the objective is harder.
There is a respected royal family there which had been trying to kill the legendary Dracula for nine generations or more. They will remain in purgatory and will have to suffer if they fails to do that.
The doors of heaven will open only then. The family is left with two last descendants -but one of them is a were wolf. Accompanied by Carl (David Wenham), our hero reaches there and join forces with the beautiful princess Anna (Kate Beckinsale) which was quite a hard thing to do.
Anna wonders if he is actually a holy man or a murder, but trusts him - seems to have some love for him. Our honourable Dracu bhayya - I mean Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) has got some huge plans in his small vampire head.
They have some meetings with Dracula and his minions which lead to some huge series of fights. But their quest is still to be finished and at the same time, Anna's brother bit Van which means Van will be a werewolf if he can't find a cure. Anna just got the company of another were wolf - congratulations!
Will our hero be able to find a cure? What will happen to Anna's brother? Dracula can't be slained by holy cross or anything holy or neither do spikes can be helpful. Then how will these fellows kill him? Or will they get killed?
Is there anything between Van and Anna? What role will Carl and the good old Frankenstein monster play in the process? But there is no question about the fact that we will get our money's worth.
PERFORMANCES
Hugh Jackman just looked highly suited for the role with his expressions and the long hair. He just shows his emotions very well. The only problem was that he had a character with very low amount of emotions in the minds, but still better than Arnold in the Terminator series. But this man did his part wonderfully.
Kate Beckinsale lookes exactly suited to the role because she got that looks that suit the vampire movies especially her eyes and the tone of the dialogues. She lookes great in that black dress and the action sequences. Actually, I am hearing her name for the first time - thanks to this movie. I heard today that he was in ''Underworld'' which managed to make me sleep while playing.
Richard Roxburgh is Dracula - he got the looks of Dracu bhayya for sure. His looks in the eyes tells his intense desire for victory and truimph. I can't remember any one else playing Dracula - it may be because there had been lots of time since I saw the last movie with Dracula in it. But this man lookes nice in the role. David Wenham brings some humour into the 99% serious movie which were delightful to hear.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Actually, the movie leaves us with lots of doubts. There is nothing said about Van's past. We can only hear his words that he can't remember his past. What did he mean by that?
Another thing is that Dracula seems to know him before and calls him Gabriel. Is he anyway realated to Gabriel in Bible who is the archangel (chief of all angels)? When did these two meet and where? I agree to the fact that ''life is a mystery'', but this film got some bigger unexplained mystery hiding inside it (Does the script writer know the answer?).
You should not think why this is so? why this is like this? etc. You just watch the movie and believe that all the things in movie are true for 132 minutes - not after that. If you are a vampire movie fan, a were wolf movie fan or a Frankenstein fan, you can't dare to miss this one.
Dracula fans must dare to see this movie as it is so marvellous and I am still in its magical effect. I think that they can make the second part of the movie as there are lots of other foul creatures waiting to have a role in the movie. They may even import from the Greek mythology!
CONCLUSION
Some one told me that this is the third part of ''The Mummy'', but there was no damn relationship between them. Atleast the director is the same. This movie I found slightly better than the two of the Mummy series and a lot better than ''The League Of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen'' (Extra ordinary crap) and ''The Underworld'' (I prefer going underworld than seeing it).
There are some words in the movie for Indian movie - ''If you are going to kill some body, kill them instead of talking about it'' or something like that which is just usual in Indian movies (some ridiculous dialogues by villains which gives time for the hero to get into the act). Don't forget to see this movie as this is an evolution or may be renaissance of the action - horror movies.....
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