Review of Van Helsing (2004) by Kyle20Ellis — 17 Mar 2022

Van Helsing does have some excellent sets and costumes, giving a dark macabre feel and some dark cinematography that was quite possibly the best thing of the film. I also liked the haunting music, and was on the whole impressed with Hugh Jackman in the title role, very brooding at times. Richard Roxburgh, despite some very cheesy material was good as the count.

Unfortunately, these were the only redeeming qualities, to a film that is overall disappointingly uninvolving. What I mean by that, is that there isn't much of a story, which was too many times clumsy and unfocused. The dialogue was eye-rollingly cheesy, I think the count's lines were the worst. I wish I could give some examples, but I can't remember any of the dialogue. The performances were okay, Hugh Jackman certainly acquits himself well, and perhaps the only actor to rise above the challenge. However, Kate Beckinsale seemed to do nothing but act pretty, therefore a rather uninvolving character, and consequently there was little chemistry between her and Jackman.

Overall, some good moments save a rather bland and uninvolving film, that also suffers from being overlong, that could have been much more with some better dialogue and a better story. 4/10 for trying. Bethany Cox.