Van Helsing (2004)

Director:

Stephen Sommers

Writer (WGA):

Stephen Sommers (written by)

Release Date:

7 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The One Name They All Fear

Plot:

The notorious monster hunter is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula who is using Dr. Frankenstein's research and a werewolf for some sinister purpose.

Plot Keywords:

Van Helsing | Dracula | Monster | Vampire | Transylvania

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Hugh Jackman	...	Van Helsing
Kate Beckinsale	...	Anna Valerious
Richard Roxburgh	...	Count Vladislaus Dracula
David Wenham	...	Carl
Shuler Hensley	...	Frankenstein's Monster
Elena Anaya	...	Aleera
Will Kemp	...	Velkan
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Igor
Alun Armstrong	...	Cardinal Jinette
Silvia Colloca	...	Verona
Josie Maran	...	Marishka
Tom Fisher	...	Top Hat
Samuel West	...	Dr. Victor Frankenstein
Robbie Coltrane	...	Mr. Hyde
Stephen Fisher	...	Dr. Jekyll (as Stephen H. Fisher)

Also Known As:

Van Helsing (Czech Republic)
Van Helsing (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Kallarai Manithan (India: Tamil title) (dubbed version) [ta]
Van Helsing (Spain) [es]
Van Helsing (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Van Helsing (Slovakia) [sk]
Van Helsing (Germany) [de]
Van Helsing - O Caçador de Monstros (Brazil) [pt]
Van Helsing: Cazador de monstruos (Venezuela) [es]
Van Helsing: El cazador de monstruos (Argentina) [es]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for nonstop creature action violence and frightening images, and for sensuality.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA | Czech Republic

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

France:U | Malaysia:18PL | Italy:T | Iceland:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) | Finland:K-15 (original rating) | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The second-to-last scene of X2 (2003) (Cyclops, Wolverine, and Professor X discussing Jean Grey) was filmed while Hugh Jackman had a day off from this movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: The weather and its effects in the Transylvanian village keep changing dramatically. When Van Helsing arrives in the morning, a thin layer of snow dusts the homes and ground. That evening, Velkan breaks into the Valerios home during a rainstorm that comes and goes, concealing and revealing the full moon. As Van Helsing chases him into the village, not only has the rain stopped, but it has started to snow again. The ground is again dry except for the snow, which at least should be melted slush after the rain. Then, after tracking Velkan to the nearby Frankenstein Castle, the rainstorm has started again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Victor Frankenstein: It's alive. It's alive. It's alive!

Movie Connections:

References Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Silly, Fun Adventure

Many, many people have seen "Van Helsing" and said it is trash, a waste of time, etc, etc. But what they don't understand is that sometimes, with so much happening in the world, people need to let it all go so they can get some thrills from movies.

The plot of Van Helsing is somewhere between simple and complex. The back story is that Count Dracula and his three brides have given birth to countless offspring throughout the hundreds of years they've been living as vampires. They themselves were created from the living, but their children were not. They were born of the undead, and have never had the chance to come to life... or the afterlife vampires live. They simply are dead.

Then, Dracula comes upon a mad scientist named Dr. Frankenstein, whom wants to discover the secret of creating life. He helps the doctor in his sort-of admirable task of creating life, hoping to use his creation to bring life to his children. But it is not to be. As the film opens, Dr. Frankenstein is killed by Dracula, who no longer needs him, and his monster, whom Dracula needs to give the essence of life to his children, appears to perish in a fire.

A year later, Gabriel Van Helsing, a tortured man without a past is sent to Transylvania by the "Holy Order"... An organization of all of the religions of the world. With the assistance of a trusty sidekick, the still living monster of Frankenstein and a beautiful young woman, he must hunt down and destroy Dracula before he can give life to his thousands of children.

The reason I gave this movie a 9 out of 10 is that is never seems to get the recognition it deserves. It has great action, great actors, and a great story. (At least for a summer film) It's not the type of movie to be taken seriously, it's the type to sit down with some friends, have some popcorn, and get ready for a silly, scary, fun ride. I love it!. 9/10