I thought it was bloody good, nice effects, good story, good characters, it achieved what it set out to accomplish. I gave it a B+. Very entertaining.

Why OH why was it hated???

I dont hate it!, great FX, fun, entertaining summer flick!

B

It's bulky and long.

The action sete pieces are too over the top, and on top of that the action in them isn't great.

The monsters aren't scary.

Dracula is too much of a step away from the Lugosi version (which is what this was based on)

The acting is cheesy bad, not cheesy good.

It's too morbid to be lovable.

The cast doesn't gel.

We don't end up caring about the characters.

Contains one of the cheesiest endings in the entire history of cinema (Kate in the clouds).

it was great, i give it an A++

Here's my review from BOM...

"Finally got around to seeing Van Helsing last night. It was cheesy, cheesy, cheesy, and cheesy. The acting was terrible, the dialogue was atrocious, the CGI was average at best, the action scenes were generic and repetitive, and the pacing was just bad.

However, with that said, I enjoyed Van Helsing on the sort of level that I originally enjoyed Freddy vs. Jason - and that is a novelty level. I'm a huge fan of hammer horror/universal horror, so I have loved these famous monsters for quite some time now. It was a total joy to see them all on the big screen, and I thought that the first ten minutes (shot in beautiful black and white) was pitch perfect.

It was all down hill from there, though. Like I said, I enjoyed seeing those monsters on screen together, and Sommers would occasionally kindle some great nostalgia and love for them, but it was in general just a really generic and bad summer action movie that could have been so much more.

The final twenty minutes or so was just a downright bore (granted the loudest bore i'v ever had to sit through), with the final five minutes being some of the worst and laugh out loud funny (not intentionally) stuff i've ever seen in a big budget film. Where the hell is Frankenstein going on that raft? Why did Kate Beckinsale die from being rolled on by a Werewolf? Why was the ending the single most cheesy and hallmarkish one i've ever seen (Faces in the clouds?! I thought Happy Gilmore killed that one years ago!)? Why did a wooden stage coach explode when it hit the ground? And oh yeah, why were Dracula and his brides four of the worst characters ever comitted to film ("Too bad, so sad"? WTF?!?)

All in all, this was a bad movie that was elevated from being pure crap by my own personal love for the Universal monsters. It's just a damn shame (and really frustrating) that a film that could have been truly amazing was reduced to do this dreck. I give Van Helsing a C."

well yeah!, but its still fun and entertaining!

It is primarily a kids film, well, moreso teenagers than kids, so the monsters wont be scary as such. I thought the monsters were well done.

The ending was good, especially the BRILLIANT fight between Dracula and Werewolf Helsing, brilliantly superb battle.

I dont remember the ending.......hmmmm...

Van Helsing, my choice for the worst movie of 2004. Yes, I liked Envy more.

Where do I even begin with Van Helsing?

I agree with that.

My nephews are six and four and they are in love with this movie.

Have you seen The Grudge? Jersey Girl? Spider-man 2?

I enjoyed it a lot. A great summer popcorn flick. B+

Spider-Man 2?! Are you serious?

Comparing Van Helsing and Spider-Man 2 is like comparing Showgirls and All About Eve in my book.

Yeh well, i was severly dissapointed by Spider-man 2.

You were dissapointed? I thought you didn't even like the first one?

I didn't hate Van Helsing. It was ok. Nothing great, but I've had the displeasure of seeing far worse. It's just another one of those cases were the internet exaggerate. There is no middle ground. It's either great or it commited some kind of violent sin against them.

I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, but nothing worth hating and bashing.

That is true. I gave the second a chance, and it blew me off!!!!! Bastard Raimi!!!!!!

Although these types of movies grow on me, i mean, when i saw the first i hated it, already im starting to like it a small amount. Thats all though, lol.

I didn't hated it but to say that the effects were great is just a lie.

He didn't like it. He didn't like any of the Star Wars movies either, as he makes a point to post and say so in every thread about them, so I fully expect him to post about how disappointed he was with EP III as well.

Algren, just don't go to movies that aren't for you. You can't really blame the movies when you're not showing self control. I don't care for foreign films (no offense , dolce) and I don't go to them, so I save myself from being disappointed. It works too. :razz:

Van Helsing was time pass. No hate directed ...

just puzzled where the 200 million budget went

Thats crap....

How do you know you dont like certain types of movies if you dont go to them every so often.

And FYI i never went to cineam to see either Spiderman movie, i saw them on DVD.

Another thing, i liked Star Wars Return of the Jedi, so thats why i went to see the prequels.

Just use the same system that you use when you start bashing a movie before seeing it. You have made quite a few comment about how EP III looks like shit, therefore, you can obviously tell it's not for you. Don't bother with it, and save yourself from the horror of it all.

This movie is a lot of fun and way overcriticized. It is better than, say, The Mummy Returns. I'm glad the Razzies snubbed it.

I am open-minded. It looks like shit, but it might be a pleasant suprise, so ill probably see it, its the force that drives me to the cinema to watch it.

Just the same as a movie that looks good, isnt always the case.

Speaking of Razzie's, what is the Razzie's this year :???: