Title : Can I give more than five stars ?
Review :
Previous reviews tell pretty much about this wonderful, edge-of-your seat movie. I would like to add just a few praises in addition that haven’t been mentioned previously. Make sure to read Aviendha’s excellent review, too. I am too big to see a movie twice, but I knew I would see this again. It only got better the 2nd time.
While I also had a little bit of Pee Wee Herman flash seeing this Dracula -- I didn’t see him that way at all, not even for even a second’s time, when I saw the movie again. Wonderful Dracula. He always WAS a slight person.
You might want to view the mains stars’ web pages. Shuler Hensley, for example, who was excellent here won every major Broadway award opposite Hugh Jackman in ’’Oklahoma’’. He showed a human dimension to Frankenstein’s monster that made his crying out ’’I WANT TO LIVE’’ near the end very compelling and all the more affecting. But this movie has so MANY great moments.
I think the references to previous films was a stroke ! It helps call up in our memory what a film can provide, too. I think there are many ’’repeats’’ (i.e., borrowings), we probably missed any number of them, most of us. We know the monsters themselves are ’’borrowed’’ -- for sure there is a ’’Q’’ and James Bond style scene. The scene when the newly hatched babies are supposedly being taught to feed is reminiscent of the Flying Monkeys (from OZ) picking up the Scarecrow, etc., etc.
Sure, there was no time for a mushy love relationship but I thought that Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale did an excellent pair, together for most of the movie as comrades. And as boy and girlie, too.
From researching this movie and from watching moviegoers leaving the theater, I perceived that Anna (via Beckinsale) is somewhat of a rare woman’s woman and a hero for the women who see this picture. Women with teenaged kids seem to especially surprised by the film, and I think that Anna is a sincere and real valiant heroine has something to do with it. I saw a mid-aged woman (my age) leaving the theater with her teenagers, and the glow on her face told volumes.
Great film acting from ALL.
One of the thrills of ’’Van Helsing’’ is being able to glance around you and see the wide-eyed amazement on others. Of course, you’ll see people literally ’’jumping out of their seat’’, too. Proof positive of a genius at work.
Thank you, thank you Stephen Sommers. It would be a nice idea to take clips of people exiting after viewing ’’Van Helsing’’ -- I’m sure Mr. Sommers et al would be proud viewing how people look coming out of the movie, lol.
ps -- some people don’t say they enjoy this, okay there are some ’’fun’’ moments and even some cheesey things. Some arbitrary coincidences. But no matter. Hey. Too bad we didn’t have time to see the Dead breaking into the place where Van Helsing and Carl stashed the Frankenstein monster while they were at the ball. Could have been a take off on Night of the Living Dead, there, lol. But then, ’’Van Helsing’’ already has MORE than just everything.
Pros : Entertainment NON-STOP
Cons: You tell me and we’ll both know