This movie feels disjointed; it’s a collection of myths and stories only tangentially related to the central vampire hunter character, and they simply don't fit together effectively. Characters like Doctor Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, Victor Frankenstein, his creation, and Count Dracula all compete for focus alongside a rather uninspired portrayal by Hugh Jackman as the lead. Kate Beckinsale’s performance echoes her role in "Un…

It’s perplexing why this entertaining film receives so much criticism. Van Helsing leans heavily into the adventure category, though it retains a touch of suspenseful atmosphere. The movie carries Stephen Sommers’ signature style, reminiscent of what made The Mummy (1999) so appealing. It presents several classic Universal monsters and establishes a connected world that really ought to have been developed further. Fe…

Stephen Sommers wrote and directed Van Helsing, a film featuring Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Shuler Hensley, Elena Anaya, Will Kemp, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Alun Armstrong. Alan Silvestri composed the music, with Allen Daviau handling the cinematography. The story follows Van Helsing (Jackman) as he journeys to Transylvania to thwart Count Dracula’s (Roxburgh) scheme, which includ…

Stephen Sommers had a surprising success with "The Mummy" in 1999, but he really went too far with the 2001 sequel "The Mummy Returns," which serves as a good example of modern blockbuster movies that are overloaded with explosions and supposedly “exciting” events, yet somehow manages to be dull. That’s also true of "Van Helsing," though not quite as extreme. THE PLOT: Set in 1887, "Van Helsing" follows Van Helsin…