Van Helsing

[Jamie Tate]

Anyone seen it to give a review?

[teaser5]

No, but I hear that Sammy Hagar is back with them...

;)

Sorry...Couldn't resist...

Peace-
Norm

:righton:

[Jamie Tate]

:laugh:

[4_everyman]

From the previews, it certainly looks appealing. If my wife and her daughter go out by themselves on Mother's Day, i'll probably go see Van Helsing.

[RDK]

I probably shouldn't do this, but you guys are my friends: :thumbsdown: :shh:

[RDK]

Hmm... So there's a "thumbsup" smilie, but not a "thumbsdown" one? What, another conspiracy to keep everyone happy and non-critical around here? ;) :D

[Jamie Tate]

I probably shouldn't do this, but you guys are my friends: :thumbsdown: :shh:
That's what I expected. They're promoting this flick way too much. For tha last few months they show the making of before your movie starts.

[RDK]

Still, it should have, as they say, a boffo weekend. It's the first big summer film of the, uh, summer...

Personally, I didn't dig it, but it is *filled* with action and monsters and fx, and the music is loud and there are a handful of vampire babes and all that. It's been testing pretty well, so what the hell do I know?

[Chaney]

This might be a ridiculous question but as Van Helsing, how does Jackman compare to Peter Cushing in that role? (I've always liked the Cushing / Lee duo in the old Hammer horror films.)

[Ken_McAlinden]

I haven't even seen the movie, but my understanding is that the Van Helsing of this movie is a multi-weapon-using action-movie monster-***-kicker, so it doesn't sound like they are using the "Hammer/Cushing" model for the character. :)

Regards,

[Tim Casey]

It REALLY got slammed in the press today.

[Ken_McAlinden]

It REALLY got slammed in the press today.Yep. The tomatometer is currently at 21% fresh. My favorite quote from a negative review is from "Flipside Movie Emporium". Reviewer Rob Vaux describes the filmmakers' attempts to pay homage to their Universal horror predecessors as follows: "It's like celebrating James Joyce with a monster truck rally". :)

Regards,

[Jamie Tate]

Just got back. It's what you think it is... Loud, computer generated and eventually lame. The first 30 minutes will give you hope and then you hear Hollywood calling and Ring! Ring!, it turns into a heavy metal movie. Not much to care about after the initial story line is put into place. Unfortunate, I was hoping it would be good.

BTW, some of the computer effects are as real as the actors' ever changing accents. They damn near rival the Hulk for realism. :D

[ACK!]

No, but I hear that Sammy Hagar is back with them...

;)

Sorry...Couldn't resist...

Peace-
Norm

:righton:

I hear that Van Helsing slays David Lee Roth during the movie's climax and utters "The next time you say that, you better be wearing a cup!"

[Jimbo]

Saw it tonight after work. Not good. :shake:

As Jamie says, it's LOUD--the actors do a lot of screaming, apparently in hopes of being heard over the sound effects. They camp it up to the extreme. The CGI effects are none too convincing; Dracula's brides are the best part of that. Some of the ludicrous action sequences left me dizzy. Sat though the movie counting the other films that it rips off. The script throws everything but the kitchen sink up on the screen, hoping something will stick. Even some of the dialog is lifted word-for-word from other movies.

Hoping that next week's blockbuster (Troy) will be a better time at the movies.

[Michael St. Clair]

A guy I work with saw it at a private screening on Monday and said that it was terrible and that the audience laughed through most of the film.

[Mister Kite]

Entertainment Weekly gave it a D+. Owen Gleiberman trashed it big time. Still... I have a feeling I'll end up seeing it before the weekend is over. Go figure! :shh:

[Tony Caldwell]

I saw a review in a local paper that gave it a "D", and that is the lowest rating that I have ever seen them give a movie.

I only read a few paragraphs of the review, but it pretty much echoes what everyone has said ^^above^^.

[Jamie Tate]

A guy I work with saw it at a private screening on Monday and said that it was terrible and that the audience laughed through most of the film.

That happened today too. We heard laughing through the last two thirds of the flick. BTW, it wasn't supposed to be funny.

[4_everyman]

Well, i think i'll go see Hellboy instead. That's gotten a few respectable reviews. Not that i let reviewers decide for me, but VH just isn't getting any positive press that i can see. I was interested in it mainly as eye candy.

[Evan L]

Hellboy is a great film. Lotsa great humor and special effects. Trust me on this one.

Evan

[Pug]

I didn't think VH was that bad. I thought it was on par with The Mummy which Stephen Summers also did. It was intended as a campy,over the top, action flick. I enjoyed it as such.

I prefer it to Hellboy, which I thought was good, but not great.

Sean

[fjhuerta]

I thought The Mummy was good because Brendan Fraser usually is funny in his own way. I can only imagine VH being The Mummy - Humour.

Who am I kidding? I'm still watching it. Nothing like silly popcorn flicks, I say :)

[Chris R]

Ken, today the tomatometer is up to a whopping 22%. :laugh:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/VanHelsing-1132255/

"Has little that lasts in the mind for more than five seconds."
-- Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"A shrieking bore."
-- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"Van Helsing" is silly and spectacular, and fun."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Kenneth Turan does not like this film, however Roger Ebert does. Maybe I'll go see it.

[Tim Casey]

"Hellboy" is very, very good indeed, tho a bit long.