Tell that director Stephen Sommers because that’s exactly his problem – too much thrown in for good measure, not with thought or consideration. And the mixture is explosive… SPOILERS!

“Van Helsing” is basically two hours full of nonsense – sometimes at least good looking or mildly funny, at other times plain cheesy, idiotic or just ridiculous. Some scenes could have been cut (like the coach scene – which is totally unnecessary IMO) and it wouldn’t have hurt to have less but therefore better CGI effects (Dracula and the werewolf are sometimes painfully obvious computer generated; just as Dracula’s kids and definitely their “demise” – think of the Martian’s heads in “Mars attacks!”).
On the plus side: a gorgeous looking Kate Beckinsale who is doomed to play the very irrational heroine whose shallow character is most flamboyant for her totally inapt wardrobe. At least I wouldn’t put on a corset, 2 inch heels and have my hair open when I’d be on a monster hunt – but maybe Anna doesn’t mind her hair becoming entangled in icky mini-Draculas egg goo, who knows :P ? Her love affair with Van Helsing (if you can call a kiss a whole affair) was rather unnecessary but at least reasonably believable, the chemistry between Jackman and Beckinsale was right. I liked the end till about Van Helsing sets fire on Anna’s body, then it became way too kitschy – and not only I was thinking this, the whole audience around me mocked the happenings on the screen.
And Richard Roxburgh gets around a lot, doesn’t he? His Dracula is okay I suppose though I had to giggle first when I heard him speak – and don’t put him on the ceiling any more, will you?
All in all, surprisingly entertaining with a little too much action just for the sake of it. Final verdict: 3 out of 6 Meeps.

:music: : A 30 second sample of “Borrowed heaven”, the title track to the Corrs’ new album – yes, I’m desperate :P !