Monster Mash

Just got back from watching Van Helsing a bit after lunch time. The online reviews I read about this movie is pretty mixed for opinions about the extensive amount of CG used, mention of lack of character development, the usual cries and groans synonymous with a recently released movie Hellboy in terms of such failings.

Enough on the possible slew of critique that possibly color this review. In spite being a loud, 2 hour view, it was quite a ride as I would put it. Some of the scenes and characters on the screen would be screaming or moving towards the viewers head on, hence the mention of calling it a ride.

*Spoiler mode on* The movies starts off without any opening credit or intros and straight to the opening scene with Castle Frankenstein and its residents to be lynched and sieged by angry Romanian villagers. The following scenes in it would be all to familiar to most monster movies fans. The slight twist is that the main bad vampire, Dracula was the sponsor to Dr. Victor Frankenstein's project. The story of the movie gets set a year after the destruction of Frankenstein's Monster on the burning windmill.

Scene shifts to Van Helsing in Paris, he was on the hunt for Dr. Hyde. (Strains of LXG anyone?) Van Helsing go through a failed round of negotiating with the brute which escalates to the use of gun, tojo blades and a grappling hook pistol. After the botched bounty on Dr. Hyde, Van Helsing returns back to report to the Vatican. This little scene reflects that Van Helsing is actually a field operative for some covert arm of the Vatican that operates in secret. It kinda have the strains of LXG, given a slideshow briefing for Van Helsing and workshop area filled with gadgets and stuff being crafted and tested. Its like a late 19th-century equivalent of Q's department from 007 fame. Speaking of tech, there is some toy factor in the movie for Van Helsing to use. An autofiring crossbow for starters, the concealed Tojo Blades (Looks like flywheel operated mini-buzzsaws) and the usual standbys of twin revolvers and shotgun.

Van Helsing and faithful tech-support Friar Carl (Feels the a synonymous strain with regards to a certain espionage agent and optech person from a certain TV series. ;) ) head over to Transylvania to assist Anna Valerious in overcoming Dracula's scheme.

The rest would be left little to explain. One scene involving the masquerade ball in Budapest shows something reminiscent of Blade II, the use of a powerful "light" bomb of sorts, intense enough to illuminate the entire castle the ball was held. Said castle filled with vampires. No need to figure what happens.

The climax of the entire ride so to speak is the mano-to-mano fight between a Wolfed-up Van Helsing and Dracula in his hybrid human bat likeness. Of course, the familiarity of Wolverine comes to the fore in this movie, given Hugh Jackman played the feral Canadian mutant in the past two X movies. Kate Beckinsale as Anna Valerious shows a tough yet vulnerable heroine slightly different from her previous vamp movie, Underworld. Of course, Ms. Beckinsale also seems to join along Keira Knightley, of Pirates of The Caribbean fame, as a recent corset-wearing beauty.

Basically another high-octane, SFX/CGI-fest of a "check-your-brain-at-the-door-movie". Don't expect any high value in terms of characterization, plot or development. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.