Van Helsing - Reboot

[Meule]

I enjoyed Van Helsing. You gotta take it for what it is: a monster movie and forget the mosters are supposed to be Dracula and Frankenstein, cause yeah, they're the worst versions ever put on screen. But as just another monster movie Van Helsing wasn't all that bad.
A reboot with Tom Cruise however is gonna suck so bad I won't even give it a try. Can't stand Tom Cruise

[madmarva]

Cruise is hit and miss for me, too, but the last Mission Impossible film (Ghost Protocol) is excellent.

I don't think Cruise can come off playing Swedish or German or even European, although I guess he did in the the Brian Singer film about the German attempt to kill Hitler.

But, if I have the chance, I'll go to see it.

[cjefferys]

The first ten minutes of Van Helsing was great, it really captured the feel of the old Universal monster films. If the rest of the film kept that spirit and style, it could have been a great film. It didn't, and while it wasn't terrible, it wasn't much more than average IMO.

[Werewolf]

If you compare VH to earlier Universal Monster movies like Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein and Wolfman it is going to be terrible. But if you take it in context with the later monster team up "House of" movies (with a bit of the Castlevania games mixed in) it becomes a lot more fun.

That being said, I have zero interest in a reboot with Tom Cruise. But then, I have zero interest in seeing Cruise in anything.

[Bruce Banner]

The movie had some great potential... the overall concept was great, and the casting was good with Jackman in the lead. And of course Kate Beckinsale was super hot.

But the film was let down by being overly frenetic and having an over abundance of lacklustre CGI, which are two of Stephen Sommers' trademarks.

[Gorn Captain]

I enjoyed Van Helsing.

Ok, I'm taking you to the doctor right now!
I think you've been taken over by the pod people or something...

[Brazoo]

I don't think Cruise can come off playing Swedish or German or even European, although I guess he did in the the Brian Singer film about the German attempt to kill Hitler.

Really? Isn't he of German/Irish descent?

I don't think I've ever bought him in a roll where he doesn't play a contemporary guy though. Like, to me he just doesn't work in an era that existed where it would look weird if he put on a pair of sunglasses.

This is a monster action movie though - so I don't think believability is going to be a big factor for me here.

[HumanWolfman]

The Jackman version was to Indiana Jones for me to love it. I did, however, enjoy it.

[Thor]

Hmm.. I think Laurence Olivier was a pretty good Van Helsing.

[Gorn Captain]

Hmm.. I think Laurence Olivier was a pretty good Van Helsing.

Well, he is supposed to be speaking Dutch in that movie.
Believe me, the only Dutch that sounds like his, is after two bottles of wodka and a severe stroke.

[wolfie]

I loved Van Helsing.

I can never understand why people did not like it. I watch it over and over, really enjoy it.

The idea of doing a remake with the people mentioned, now that is horrific.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I'm really concerned for you guys. In my opinion, Van Helsing is one of the worst big-budget movies ever made, for a variety of reasons. The frantic pace, the reliance on sloppy CGI (below standard for the time), the barely recognizable Uni-monsters....

But at least I know SOMEONE liked it!

Chris

[ctc]

>In my opinion, Van Helsing is one of the worst big-budget movies ever made

I think you hit on the deeper problem. If this flick had come out straight to video in the 80's, with 1/100th the budget and featuring NOBODY you'd ever heard of folks would have considered it a diverting oddity. But because it had so many names and so much money attached to it, folks get expectations.

Van Helsing is a perfectly passable B-movie. Right up there with "The Creeping Terror" or "The Beast of Yucca Flats." And entertaining for the same reasons: a touch of weird monsters, overwrought dialogue, TONS of typicalness to fast forward through, and a lot of stuff to laugh at. (WHAT was in that exploding carriage?!?!?) But it's easy to laugh when the film was made in a weekend for $100; much more so when you realize the thing cost more than you'll make in your entire life.

Don C.

[wolfie]

Most of you seem to be missing something about this film and that is that it was made to be fun, you are supposed to laugh and find it funny. The send up of the Bond movies in the vatican is priceless.

Draculas brides are really well done and Kate Beckinsale looks great.

I would suggest you watch it again but do so with a totally diffrent outlook and i think you will enjoy it.

[Gorn Captain]

Most of you seem to be missing something about this film and that is that it was made to be fun, you are supposed to laugh and find it funny. The send up of the Bond movies in the vatican is priceless.

Draculas brides are really well done and Kate Beckinsale looks great.

I would suggest you watch it again but do so with a totally diffrent outlook and i think you will enjoy it.

It was on TV a while back. I watched about ten minutes and had to admit...I still hated it....