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Van Helsing
2004
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. .. Read more
| Starring | Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Sommers |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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Van Helsing
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 humour.
| Starring | Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Will Kemp, Shuler Hensley, Samuel West, Elena Anaya |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Sommers |
| Studio | UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 6 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 6 mins HD DVD: 2 hrs 12 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English HD DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 11 Oct 2004 Blu-ray: 25 May 2009 HD DVD: 04 Dec 2006 Production year: 2004 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Having re-invigorated the Mummy franchise, writer/director Stephen Sommers turns his attention to the rest of Universal's classic monsters. Using the original films and character legends as a springboard, he delivers an exciting, effects-driven romp that combines the pulling power of Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster. Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is dispatched by a secret, Vatican-based organisation to 19th-century Transylvania where he comes to the aid of Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale) in her long-running battle against the vampire Count and his evil allies. Though Richard Roxburgh's Dracula lacks charisma next to the magnetic Jackman, his flying, harpy-like brides are superb, fuelling some of the movie's most thrilling set pieces. This is Indiana Jones meets Hammer Horror — the relentless action is blended with a knowing undercurrent and dramatic gothic styling. Ultimately the CGI could have been better — as could the dialogue — but viewed solely as escapism, this is an exhilarating ride.
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A truly terrible movie, loud and vacuous, in which the actors become not very special effects among a phantasmagoria of computer-generated monsters.
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Most helpful member's review
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39 out of 49 people found this review helpful
A whole load of Vampire fun
Van Helsing hurtles along at one hell of a rate with scene after scene of monster smashing carnage as Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale do their best to annoy Dracula and his unholy friends!
I thought this film was visually spectacular and was just a lot of fun. Kate Beckinsale is absolutely stunning and there are also some seriously hot Romanian vampire chicks flying about to boot.
Get off your high horses fellow reviewers and stop taking it all so seriously. This film isnt looking to win any awards with its in depth story line and narrative - its just a bit of CGI fun. So enjoy. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Pleasantly surprised - a very enjoyable movie.
Van Helsing attracted mostly negative reviews when it was on cinema release so I expected very little of the movie but I wanted to see it anyway because of its pedigree (from the makers of The Mummy). I was very pleasantly surprised - it was far better than I had anticipated and was really enjoyable. Like The Mummy it is an action/adventure movie rather than a horror movie - indeed I would not class it as a horrow movie at all. The film is very entertaining with lots of tongue in cheek references to the likes of Indiana Jones and expecially James Bond - even down to having a Q character and Q's workshop scene. The special effects are amazing. Hugh Jackman is very good, and Kate Bekinsale seems to have cornered the market in Vampire movies after Underground. It will not win any Oscars for Best Film but as a blockbuster romp it is simply a very good and enjoyable watch. I rate it 5-stars.
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News and features
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Strong opening for Van Helsing
- 09 May 2004
Monster flick Van Helsing took an estimated $54.2 million (£30.3 million) in its first weekend in North America. The $160 million movie, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale, opened on Friday. The film is tipped to become one of the summer's biggest blockbusters, despite mixed reviews, but is likely to see profits dented by next week's epic release, Troy. A Universal spokesman also revealed that the movie earned a further $53 million (£29.7 million) from 41 international... Read more
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Van Helsing - HD DVD Version
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, ...
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- Van Helsing - BLU-RAY Version
- Blu-Ray: £10.93
Free Delivery - RRP £19.99 (you save: 45%)
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 ... -
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Van Helsing
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, ...
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