Van Helsing (Yes, indeed, there may be spoilers...)

[Malken/Ezekiel]

...not that you should care, really.

Saw it on the world premiere on Wednesday, and before I start, I must add this disclaimer: I would never have bothered if it wasn't for the fact that it was free, free, free! To kick of our local cinemas' summer-campaign, they showed on a huge canvas smack dab in the middle of our town square, I think we where about 2500 people there, and it was, well, sorta fun.

But, ultimately, that's it. The movie lacks all the redeeming traits that made the Mummy I & II the entertaining flicks they where, and had even wilder inconstistencies and just plain lame points. Visually, however, the movie was good, and it made for good entertainment, especially after a nice sixpack. I say yay to outdoor cinema and nay to van Helsing! The best part of the movie was the beginning, actually. I think Hyde looked better here than the glimpses I have seen of LXG...

I was thinking that it would make a good Ravenloft adventure though. It would have been fun to pit the PCs against all these staple monsters of fiction, and the plot: unleashing dozens of mini-vamps on the world, was nice.

[Catman Jim]

Just got back from the first showing; I liked it better than I thought I would. I had read the novelization last night, so I would know what to expect (I hate surprises). Unlike Malken, I never cared for the recent Mummy movies. I could never accept the blazing-fast mummies bouncing off the walls & ceilings.
Van Helsing & Princess Anna - so-so. Far too much Tarzan rope-swinging, didn't care for the ghosts entering heaven scene, but did laugh when they threw in the one 'X-Men Wolverine' tribute.
Dracula - well done! Loved him, loved his masqued ball.
The Monster - different, but well played.
Wolfman - too much tree-climbing, but some great close-ups
The Brides - I'm in love! the best parts of the movie!
The babies - I was worried about the flying monkey similarity, but it come off OK.
Yes, I will see it again, and will definately be picking up the 3 boxed set DVD Legacy collection.

[ScS of the Fraternity]

What!? You loved Dracula?

Through the whole thing I kept wishing he would die and shut the heck up! He has got to be the worst Dracula I have ever seen! Someone should have tied Richard Roxburgh to a seat, forced his eyes open ala Clockerwork Orange and forced him to watch Bela Lugosi movies until he figured it out!
Worst dialogue EVER!!!
I had to bite myself to stop from screaming at the screen.
EX: That one seen, where the woman says "My god, you have no heart beat" I very nearly shouted "Of course he doesn't you f**ing idiot! He's a vampire! You know that!"
Helsing is played exactly like wolverine and if Jackman wasn't a serious dramatic actor I would swear he was as talentless as Stephen Sommers(Fortunatly, i know better).
By the Dark Powers, I would have demanded my money back if I hadn't had such a good time making fun of the movie on the way home.

The only thing that made this movie bareable was the amazing CGI sets, that and Kate Beckinsale running around in that leather-thingy. Mmmm... Kate Beckinsale.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

I have had doubts and concerns about this movie for a while now and after hearing it was worse than the Mummy and Mummy Returns they hve escalated ten-fold. Now I am certain I won't just fall asleep watching this one, I'll drift off into a coma!

Still, I'll go see it, even if it's just for the Brides

[Catman Jim]

What!? You loved Dracula?

Through the whole thing I kept wishing he would die and shut the heck up! He has got to be the worst Dracula I have ever seen! Someone should have tied Richard Roxburgh to a seat, forced his eyes open ala Clockerwork Orange and forced him to watch Bela Lugosi movies until he figured it out!
Worst dialogue EVER!!!
I had to bite myself to stop from screaming at the screen.
The only thing that made this movie bareable was the amazing CGI sets, that and Kate Beckinsale running around in that leather-thingy. Mmmm... Kate Beckinsale.

I went in with very low expectations, and I liked Dracula for the very reason that he was portayed differently than any version I had ever seen. The great majority of reviews today agree with you that it was overplayed, one put it 'The Prince of Darkness shares his sense of style with Mexican drug lords, wedding videographers, and overzealous personal trainer Tony Little!'.
We will have to differ on Donatella Versace, er, I mean Kate Beckinsale. I hated her in Underworld, and didn't change my opinion of her in VH. (I could be influenced in that one of my employees looks just like her) She didn't come close to the Brides on sheer coolness.

[Malken/Ezekiel]

Hey, we should have a new poll: which Bride did you like best? I liked the redhaired Bride the best.

Anyways, what bothered me the most was Helsings supposedly mysterious backstory; if I'm right in assuming he's the Archangel Gabriel, then how the hell could he be infected with lycanthropy? Shouldn't he have divine protection or something?

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

Meh, I'm going to see it later. I'm not one for eye candy and Jackman isn't my taste in blokes. Still, the only reason I want to see it is to steal ideas for a RL campaign, much like I did with the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for a Masque campaign.

[Jester of the FoS]

Well I liked it. Oh, it was complete and total crap, but fun crap.
It's a B movie for plot and B for acting but A for budget, production and SFX. So go in expecting cheese!

[Charlatan]

It's a special effects action movie with new versions of old-school horror movie monsters, no more, no less. I work at a movie theater, so I can see it as many times as I want, which should be about.....once. Maybe twice, so I can see it with someone else.

[Reginald de Curry]

Er, so is it -worthy or not?

[Cmdr. Vimes]

It was the cheesiest movie i have seen in ages, but come on, don't you think it was meant to be? Plot holes, bad one liners and some damn kool looking werewolves.... fantastic. A good, fun movie to watch when you don't feel like paying too much attention.

[Dominique]

Hilariously awful. If you think that Battlefield Earth is the finest comedy of our era, then see this now and thank me later. It's positively spectacular.

[Jester of the FoS]

I wanted to hit my head at the seat in front of me at some of the dialogue. "So painfull... must lower IQ..." Some also being defined as 90%.
But I laughed alot.

The thing to remember is this movie is not based on the classic gothic novels, the ones we're all familar with. Its based on the classic black -n- white Universal films or the equally f-ed up Hammer flicks. Complete with windmill on fire.
I'm pretty sure it was also intentionally cheesy. I wonder if it will do well as cheesiness usually does not mean box office sucess. Which sadly does not guarentee more equally cheesy sequals.

[Wiccy of the Fraternity]

It was the cheesiest movie i have seen in ages, but come on, don't you think it was meant to be? Plot holes, bad one liners and some damn kool looking werewolves.... fantastic. A good, fun movie to watch when you don't feel like paying too much attention.

Even cheesier than Underworld or The Mummy (and the other movies based on this mythos)? Surely nothing else can reach that level of cheesiness

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

Two things:

1) It was good. I enjoyed it as brainless fun.#

2) I retract my statement on Jackman. I now realise I was tainted by that stupid Wolverine haircut.