Overview
All varieties of otherworldly creatures come out to play in Stephen Sommers' gothic carnival. Frankenstein's monster, ferocious werewolves, vampire bat babies, a maniacal scientist named Igor, and a CGI Dr. Jekyll are just a few. When they come together, a thrilling fantasy adventure results, making VAN HELSING a visual feast. Destined to fight the world's evil, Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is a warrior in a cowboy hat and a trench coat, heavily armed with a rapid-fire multi-arrow crossbow, among other gadgetry. A legion of monks in Rome send Van Helsing to Transylvania to hunt the immortal Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh), who terrorizes the local people with the help of his three vampire brides. Especially threatened is the vixen Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale), whose family also strives to kill the Count. Van Helsing and Anna Valerious work together, searching for the secret door to Dracula's lair. But it is only after massive battles involving impossible stunts, races on horse-pulled carriages, and the desecration of enchanting medieval castles (all done with dizzying computer graphics) that they succeed. Not only does the eye candy keep on coming, the tongue-in-cheek writing and deep Transylvanian accents perfect the film with a dose of dark humor.
Awards:
Main Cast & Crew:
Stephen Sommers - Director
Hugh Jackman
Kate Beckinsale
Richard Roxburgh
David Wenham
Kevin J. O'Connor
Will Kemp
Robbie Coltrane
Samuel West
Shuler Hensley
Elena Anaya
Details
- Format: Blu-ray
- Run Time: 132
- Color Format: Color
- UPC: 025195053624
- Genre: Horror
- Rating: PG-13 (MPAA) (nonstop creature action violence and frightening images, and for sensuality)
- Release Date: October 2004
Movie Reviews
Notes:
Theatrical Release: MAY 7, 2004
Reviews:
"[With a] gleeful, chaotic sense of visual excess." - 05/07/2004 New York Times, p.E1
"The best part is the moodily handsome look of the sets..." - 05/07/2004 USA Today, p.2E
"The movie is like a Greatest Hits compilation; it's assembled like Frankenstein's Monster, from spare parts stitched together and brought to life with electricity, plus lots of computer-generated images." - 05/07/2004 Chicago Sun-Times, p.39
"The dark, desaturated imagery perfectly complements this vampires and werewolves tale, with lots of cold bluish-gray exteriors and warm firelit interiors." - 06/01/2006 Widescreen Review, p.67
