Van Helsing

Don't expect anything special from Van Helsing, just expect to be entertained because that is all the movie is supposed to do. The film was not made to astound audiences and blow away critics, it was made to make a few bucks and entertain the weekly movie-goer. And it suits its purpose quite well. Vampire movies have been made for years, never very well, with the possible exception of Bram Stoker's Dracula and the Quentin Tarantino half of Dusk Till Dawn, and Van Helsing is no exception. It starts brilliantly, in black and white that makes it seem like a classic Hollywood horror flick from the 40's. A fantastic beginning in my opinion, up till the end of the scene where we first meet Van Helsing hunting Dr. Jekyl (a neat little introudction) After that original and beautifully shot first 15-20 minutes the movie seems to revert into a cheesy action flick, poured out of Hollywood by the dozens. Some nice visual effects on the creatures and some picturesque camera moves make the movie nice to look at but not much else. The performances by Kate Beckinsale (what an accent), Hugh Jackman, and the rest of the supporting cast are dull and lifeless. But like I said, Van Helsing isn't meant for Hugh Jackman to win an Oscar in his role. As vampire movies go this is one of the better ones, not that that says much, but worth seeing. A fun, not as mindless as some action flicks, weekend movie to see if you are bored.