#31nightsofhorror Van Helsing
For this year’s 31 Nights of Horror Challenge, the Day 13 prompt was Multiple Monsters. There are a bunch I could have chosen for this one and I almost went with Monster Squad but I am staying in a hotel in Seattle and it was not available to stream so I picked Van Helsing.
Storyline for Van Helsing
Van Helsing is in the world to rid all evil, even if not everyone agrees with him. The Vatican sends the monster hunter and his ally, Carl, to Transylvania. They have been sent to this land to stop the powerful Count Dracula. Whilst there they join forces with a Gypsy Princess called Anna Valerious, who is determined to end an ancient curse on her family by destroying the vampire. They just don’t know how!
Our Thoughts on Van Helsing
Despite the inconsistent CGI, some weak performances and some dumb decisions Van Helsing is still a fun and enjoyable fantasy adventure. Hugh Jackman gives a great lead performance and Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh and David Wenham are all really good. It’s well paced and well filmed and Stephen Sommer’s direction is good, if a little too reliant on CG. The music by Alan Silversti is great.
6 out of 10
Trivia
In the original Dracula (1931) we meet Van Helsing.
Dracula visits Mina, asleep in her bedroom and bites her. The next evening, Dracula enters for a visit and Van Helsing and Harker notch that he does not have a mirror reflection. When Van Helsing reveals this to Dracula, he smashes the mirror and leaves. Van Helsing deduces that Dracula is the vampire behind the recent tragedies.
