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Directed by
Stephen Sommers Written by
Stephen Sommers Cast
Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Shuler Hensley [more]
Release Date
• USA: May 7, 2004
• UK: 7 May 2004
DVD Release Date
• R1: Oct 19, 2004
• R2: 11 Oct 2004
Budget $95,000,000
BoxOffice: $99.9M
Official Website:
Van Helsing Website
MPAA Rating
Rated PG-13 for nonstop creature action violence and frightening images, and for sensuality.
Running Time
2 hours, 12 minutes
Country USA, Czech Republic
Production Companies
Carpathian Pictures, Universal Pictures, Stillking Films, The Sommers Company
Studio Sommers Company Production, Stephen Sommers Film, Universal
More info on IMDb.com
Other Titles
• Van Helsing (2004)
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Van Helsing Reviews |
"Van Helsing" is more amusing and exciting than frightening, though there are probably enough genuine shocks to generate a box-office stampede and numerous tie-ins - a video game, an animated prequel, an upcoming TV series - as well as the inevitable sequel. [read review]
--Lou Lumenick (New York Post)
Van Helsing is simply far too much of a good thing, and although Hensley’s Frankenstein's Monster comes off better than anyone else, the film suffers from some truly inane dialogue and pacing that will likely cause tachycardia in members of the audience old enough to recall who Dwight Frye was. [read review] 
--Marc Savlov (Austin Chronicle)
Being a big fan of the special effect and creative action sequence, Van Helsing should be one of the rides of the year. Unfortunately, unless you take some sort of stimulant before hand, you'll be longing for it to all wrap-up in the least embarrassing way possible for all those involved. [read review] 5.5/10
--Paul Boschen (Movie Marshal)
Overall, Van Helsing kicks off the 2004 summer box office with more of a whimper then a driving force and shatters the hopes of those who were awaiting an enthusiastic kick-off as in the past. ... Van Helsing will surely go down as one of the bigger disappointments of the summer season. [read review] C+
--Joseph Kastner (MovieJustice)
"VAN HELSING," which brings together Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, various wolfmen, Mr. Hyde and creature killer Van Helsing, is the ultimate clash. No, I don't mean between vampires and wolfmen, or man and monster. I mean between a good story and in-your-face computer-generated effects. The story loses big-time. [read review]
--Desson Thomson (Washington Post)
What we got was a story that tries to cram in so many surprises that it begins to collapse under its own weight. What action there is, and there's plenty of it is subverted by dialog so awful that our audience was laughing out loud when they weren't supposed to. [read review]
--Chuck Schwartz (The Cranky Critic)
If you're looking for a brainless, mile-a-minute summer monster movie jam-packed with action scenes, hot chicks, wild beasts, midgets who look like Ewoks, over-actors, a pulse-pounding score, laughs and adventures up the wazoo, line up for this film today and enjoy the gratuitous love of unadulterated campy fun [read review] 7/10
--'JoBlo' (JoBlo.com)
Sure, there's quite bit of action that's not too shabby and Sommers shows a bit of respect for the origins of his movie with the black and white opening sequence; but the hero in this tale is weak and underdeveloped, the villains have not bite whatsoeverand the entire thing feels like the lame 'Summer Blockbuster' it's intended to be. [read review] 
-- (TheVideoGraveYard.com)
There are quite a few unintentionally funny moments, although the overall experience was too intensely painful for me to be able to advocate it as being "so bad, it's good." Some, however, will doubtless view it as such. More power to them, since sittingthrough this movie requires something more than a strong constitution and a capacity for self-torture. [read review] 
--James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
This isn't a good film, really. I'll have forgotten most of it by tomorrow. I couldn't recommend it, right? Yet... I can't deny that I had a good time watching it, warts and all. That's still not a recommendation, but if you feel like seeing a big stupidmonster mash... [read review] 
--Kevin N. Laforest (Montreal Film Journal)
That's "Van Helsing": too camp to be kitsch, too kitsch to be camp, too big to be good, too good to be dull. That is to say, it's a modern, effects-insane, big-studio American summer movie, 17 or so hours long and one-fifth of an inch deep. [read review]
--Stephen Hunter (Washington Post)
Although all the usual criticisms apply (it’s too long; there’s some dodgy CGI; parts of it are painfully bad), as Big Dumb Fun Blockbusters go, Van Helsing is actually quite enjoyable, provided you’re not averse to a little canon-messing. [read review] 
--Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
Entertaining, but cheesy and predictable. Silly and simple story that leaves the film to be nothing more than eye-candy for the audience. Worth a check for a no-brainer action-adventure-type flick, but avoid otherwise. [read review] 6/10
--FrighT MasteR (UHM)
Noisy, atrociously acted, poorly written and arrogant in the assumption that it’s pleasuring the audience with an endless cluster of special effects, “Van Helsing” represents the very worst in American cinema today. [read review] F
--Brian Orndorf (FilmJerk.com)
Bad, to worse, to Frankenstein's monster quoting the psalms and the guy who played Faramir fighting with Igor (who looked strikingly like Radu from the "Subspecies" series) on a bridge with a cattle prod. [read review]
--Lyle Henretty (Bloody-Disgusting.com)
Jackman is pretty good here, but him, and everything else is just overwhelmed by the CGI and Sommers' dizzying direction. But I guess we should be grateful that he is that he's still using human actors... [read review] 
--Brian Gallagher (MovieWeb)
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. [read review] 
--Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
If you liked The Mummy Returns, then you'll probably like Van Helsing. It has a good mix of action, adventure, horror, and romance. But some campy scenes might ruin the movie for some viewers. [read review]
-- (ComingSoon.net)
... the film overall is enjoyable, with plenty of original features and amusing dialogue, fast pace and sexy, spectacular effects for vampire and monster movie fans to be happily entertained. [read review] 7/10
--Avril Carruthers (Movie-Vault.com)
The brainless plot is a let-down, but who needs brains for summer movies anyway? So grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride. X2 it’s not, but it’s still a lot of fun. [read review] B
--Joshua Sandefur (MovieJustice)
In short, this next-generation horror epic proves a monster of a mess, a herky-jerky, stitched-together amalgam of plot twists, monster lore and classic lines [read review]
--Glenn Lovell (San Jose Mercury News)
...a gargantuan mess of a film which substitutes special effects for story and has not a single redeeming moment in its two hour plus running time. [read review] D
--Edward Havens (FilmJerk.com)
Van Helsing ends up as a high-concept adrenaline rush that never stops generating lesser concepts over its elongated 145-minute run time. [read review]
--Sean O'Connell (FilmCritic.com)
Even Kate Beckinsale in a leather corset and Hugh Jackman's cast-bronze pecs can't save this lavishly cheap monster mush. [read review]
--Stephanie Zacharek (Salon)
A dull, overly CGI animated fight-fest. Director Stephen Sommers’ only real interest is in the animated sequences. [read review] 62/100
--Brian Webster (Apollo Guide)
But tomorrow every boy, in every town will be shouting a new name for movie terror: "Ripoff!" [read review]
--Blake Snyder (MovieWeb)
Loud, proud and very Hollywood, Van Helsing is a fantasy blockbuster that never lets up. [read review]
--Nev Pierce (BBC Films)
This hundred-mile-an-hour goth-romp leaves you gasping for breath - but not for more. [read review] 6/10
--Gary Panton (Movie Gazette)
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