YMMV / Van Helsing

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• Adaptation Displacement: An odd example. Despite the movie being a throwback to the Universal Horror films of the 1930s and 40s, the Dracula homages take more from Bram Stoker's Dracula, released in 1992. Details such as 1462 being the year he became a vampire, making a deal with the devil, and his brides being a Blonde, Brunette, Redhead trio come more from that film. Even the casting choices evoke it; Richard Roxburgh resembles Gary Oldman, and Silvia Colloca resembles Monica Bellucci.
• Aluminum Christmas Trees: Roma royalty did exist in real-life; Ștefan Răzvan, a 16th century Moldavian voivode who ousted Aaron the Tyrant, is one of the few examples. That said, due to racism, Roma acquiring an independent property of their own is almost unheard of, and they mostly came to power due to their connections with established powers (the above Răzvan escaped slavery because his father was a loyal Ottoman subject and his mother was a native Romanian).
• Alternate Character Interpretation:
  • The original script has Aleera straight-up hating Anna because of Dracula's fascination with her, and she's an outright Yandere for him, with her vendetta against her being based on that. In the film proper, several fans have interpreted Aleera as being attracted to Anna in some way, given the large amounts of Homoerotic Subtext between them. In fact, given that Dracula is Anna's ancestor, and displays no interest in turning her before the masquerade ball, one has to wonder if Aleera pushed for her to become one of them. The fact that her actress is gay lends credence to the theory.
  • Marishka's actress Josie Maran referred to her as 'the gypsy bride' in several interviews, but since we know so little about her, does that mean she was Romani as well and possibly even one of Anna's ancestors before she was turned? While she and Anna never properly interact, since Dracula wants to make Anna his bride too, it shows he's not above turning his own descendants. Or was she simply referring to Marishka being free spirited?
• Base-Breaking Character: Anna has frequently been a target of ire on the internet from those who consider her a Faux Action Girl and outright Damsel Scrappy for all the times she ends up in danger and needs to be helped or rescued by Van Helsing, and despite supposedly being fated to kill Dracula, Van Helsing does that instead and she dies curing him of the werewolf curse. Others however have come to her defence over the years, pointing out that she does several things right over the course of the movie, saves Van Helsing almost as many times as he saves her, and the reason she ends up in peril so much is because she's the one the vampires need to kill and/or she's actively trying to save someone else. She also has just as many fans for her costume and romance with Van Helsing.
• Best Known for the Fanservice: The former two examples have quite a bit of fan art out there (although not all of it of the fanservice-y nature).
  • The movie is fondly remembered for Kate Beckinsale in a corset and Combat Stilettos - especially the upwards tilt with which she is introduced - allowing the viewer to experience her beauty.
  • Everyone remembers the sexy vampire brides who have plenty of Les Yay with Anna.
  • For the reverse, there's Hugh Jackman stripping off as he transforms into a werewolf.
  • Will Kemp isn't bad looking either and is mostly shirtless in his scenes.
  • In more recent times, Dracula has received praise not just for the man's major physical attractiveness (due in no small part to how ridiculously handsome Richard Roxburgh is) but also because of his penchant for the melodramatic and demeanor; dark, seductive, broody, elegant, snarky, and more. Just as many people who went crazy over the brides now freely admit that Dracula had just as much of a chokehold on them, even to this day, across all gender & sexuality lines.
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: When the protagonists reach Castle Dracula, the Creature is inexplicably trapped in a block of ice when he's being put in position for the experiment. While the scene itself contains a major plot reveal, there's no explanation nor apparent reason for him to be in the ice, since the chains restraining him at the masquerade ball seemed to do just fine, and the ice has gone by the time we see him in the machine. Supposedly it's a nod to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, where the monster is found frozen in the ice by Larry.
• Complete Monster: In the novelization by Kevin Ryan, Dracula is a predator devoid of any qualities but malice and cruelty. Seducing Victor Frankenstein into making his monster, Dracula murders him and later unleashes his young to wipe out a Transylvanian town. Attempting to turn Anna Valerious into his monstrous bride as he's done to other innocent girls, Dracula intends to awaken his children and feed them much of the world out of spite towards God.
• Critic-Proof: Critics ripped this movie to shreds, but it was one of the biggest blockbusters of '04. While it wasn't the overwhelming success the studio had hoped for, and the bad reviews were enough to call a halt to all the spin-off plans, it still turned a profit.
• Critical Dissonance: Many critics didn't think it was very good, with a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were more forgiving, with a 57% on the site, though not enough to prevent its financial underperformance.
• Cry for the Devil: Verona and Aleera, and we can assume Marishka judging by her reaction to the mill burning down, are essentially mothers who have had to watch their children die minutes after being born. They actually beg Dracula not to try again, Verona saying "my heart couldn't bear the sorrow if we fail again".
• Cult Classic: After the release of The Mummy (2017), many people look at this film in a better light for depicting the classic Universal monsters crossing over with each other.
• Ensemble Dark Horse:
  • The Brides. In any other story they'd just be nameless background characters that'd be killed off quickly (and indeed, that's exactly how they're treated in their debut appearance). Here they're actually deadly minions with distinctive personalities, desires and backstories, and give the heroes a run for their money. Even Marishka, who gets killed very early in the story, leaves a hell of an impression on viewers while barely saying a word, and Verona, Aleera and Dracula all mourn her after her death. More often then not, they're what people remember most about the movie. Aleera is the Ensemble Dark Horse of the Brides herself; many fans sought out more of Elena Anaya's films in her native Spain after being introduced to her through this movie.
  • This version of Frankenstein's monster was likewise well received thanks to Shuler Hensley's heartfelt portrayal and his being Truer to the Text than most of the previous film depictions of the character.
  • Carl is quite well liked too for proving to be a Badass Bookworm, and parodying The Smart Guy role in parts, as well as being played by David Wenham.
• Fan Fic Fuel: There is definitely a familiarity between Anna and Aleera, more so than with the other two Brides, and the Word of God that she's the most recently turned Bride. It's never elaborated on, but the Les Yay leads to many fans speculating.
• Fan-Preferred Cut Content:
  • Some fans wish for a director's cut to be available, specifically to see Aleera's deleted scenes from the masquerade ball.
  • A scene was also scripted where Anna would see that Van Helsing has scars on his shoulders, which would have provided additional foreshadowing for him being a Fallen Angel.
• Friendly Fandoms:
  • There are fans of the Hotel Transylvania franchise who like this film because they are properties that show classical movie monsters together.
  • It's also not uncommon for fans of the first two Mummy films to have a soft spot for this movie given they're both Universal Monsters reimaginings by Stephen Sommers. Fans have even called for a crossover, since Van Helsing is Really 700 Years Old.
  • Fans of Van Helsing also tend to enjoy The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for being another more action-oriented take on classic Horror/Fantasy and Sci-Fi characters from the early 2000s with a schlocky but fun tone. The presence of the Invisible Man, Dracula's former lover Mina Harker, another Hulk-y Mr. Hyde and especially Richard Roxburgh playing the Big Bad in both further help connect the two films.
  • With Underworld (2003), as they're both action horror films featuring vampires and werewolves, and Kate Beckinsale stars in both.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • It's not only that the film's Gothic visuals bear quite a strong resemblance to the aesthetics of Bloodborne, released 11 years later, but in the way of further similarities of the film to the game, also sports some sort of trick weapon in the form of the extendable stake, a monster hunter who increasingly transforms into a beast as the main character (quite apart from others being subjected to the same kind of transformation), and, like Bloodborne's Cainhurst Castle, a snow-covered vampire's castle hidden away from sight - and even accessed via what looks suspiciously like one of the fog doors of the Soulsborne franchise, complete with the gesture of pushing through the gate with one hand extended in front of oneself and the gate being impassable from the other side.
  • The film being the closest adaptation to Castlevania becomes this as there is now an actual adaptation of the video games, which debuted thirteen years after the film came out. Plus many would say that the film is still closer to the spirit or feel of the games.
  • When the vampire children are awakened, Verona calls out "feed, my darlings, feed!", which can be quite amusing if one knows that Silvia Colloca became the host of a cooking show.
• Ho Yay: Between Dracula and Van Helsing. Dracula seems a hell of a lot more interested in seducing Van Helsing than killing him. Especially when he calls him by his first name and drops hints about how close they used to be. It is also made worse by the videogame and the original script (turns out, they actually toned down on the Ho Yay...)
• Les Yay: Aleera and Anna, although it's mostly one sided on the former's part. Her first lines to Anna are "don't play coy with me, princess; I know what lurks in your lusting heart". She also calls Anna "my love" later, licks her face, and declares that she wants the first bite when she and Verona have her neutralised. A deleted scene from the masquerade ball shows Aleera seductively licking the back of Anna's neck.
• LGBT Fanbase: Featuring two shirtless werewolves, a trio of Lesbian Vampires, one of whom is played by an actual lesbian, a general heaping of Camp and a strong message of accepting those who are different, there are plenty of queer fans of Van Helsing. Dracula and Anna in particular are usually mentioned as a Closet Key for many viewers.
• Mexicans Love Speedy Gonzales: Aleera is a Lesbian Vampire and Depraved Bisexual, but is one of the most popular characters in the movie, precisely because she's so enjoyably evil. Her and Anna aren't immune from Foe Yay Shipping either.
• Most Wonderful Sound:
  • The mechanical noise of the gattling crossbow, since it means Van Helsing is kicking ass.
  • Aleera's evil cackling, for how much fun her actress is clearly having.
• Narm:
  • As he's being strapped into the device that'll use him to bring Dracula's offspring to life, Velkan gives a spectacularly amusing "NEVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" when yelling at Dracula. Dracula's response is...to start dancing with an invisible partner. Huh. Apparently this was an out of universe reference Richard Roxburgh was making to tease Will Kemp (Velkan) a trained dancer.
  • When he discovers his father's body, Velkan gives the weirdest Big "NO!" ever - through clenched teeth for some reason. The result is hilarious.
  • The extremely OTT reaction the Brides have at the beginning when the windmill with Frankenstein's creature blows up.
  • Dracula's reaction to Marishka's death - "MARIIIIIISHKAAAAAAAAA!" - and then marching up the wall to shout at his two remaining brides on the ceiling, all while Chewing the Scenery like it's Frankenstein's neck. Plus their hair and clothes are still obeying the laws of gravity and hanging down - or up, depending on the shot - making them all look ridiculous. Just after his realizing Marishka's death is just as hilariously bad as screaming her name: he may as well be fluttering down on little butterfly wings by how overdone and silly a pose he uses.
  • It's supposed to be a sad moment but a whacking great image of Anna appearing in the sky after her death is just bizarre.
• Narm Charm: This film works because everyone's overacting to the limits of their ability.
  • Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. Plenty of scenes have them hamming it up, and it works.
  • Marishka's cackling during the village attack. You can tell her actress is having a ball.
  • For some Anna appearing in the sky after her death is still moving, despite the silliness.
  • The undertaker's death scene is so ridiculous that it's hilarious.
• Never Live It Down: Anna can't live down the amount of times she has to be saved in the earlier parts of the film. She does at least successfully drive the carriage from Transylvania to Budapest and kill Aleera.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The fight scene between Van Helsing and Mr. Hyde demonstrates how dangerous having to fight to the death a homicidal giant ape-man in a huge cathedral can be.
  • Anything revolving the hideous baby vampires is this combined with Nausea Fuel.
  • Aleera's Jump Scare when she suddenly lowers down behind Anna and Carl roaring with her mouth opening up in Monstrous Mandibles.
• No Problem with Licensed Games: The video game takes several departures from the film, making it Darker and Edgier, but features all but three of the film's cast (Beckinsale, Anaya and Wenham) doing character voices and was generally well received. It also has a respectable combat system and loads of unlockables to get. Enough care was even put into Helsing's hat, as it can be knocked off, and the game keeps track of if you've finished a level with your hat on or not.
• Older Than They Think: In two directions: this film features Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Wolf Man, Mr. Hyde and the Creature From The Black Lagoon was also considered for an appearance, years before Universal launched their "Dark Universe". However, Universal first crossed over their monsters in 1943's Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, with Dracula and The Invisible Man joining the party in subsequent sequels.
• One-Scene Wonder:
  • Robbie Coltrane as Mr Hyde. He was even smoking a damn cigar while doing the voice work!
  • Marishka is in two scenes (although just briefly in the first) but is just as memorable as Verona and Aleera, who have more screen time.
• Popular with Furries: Bara furries tend to love the muscular werewolf designs for this movie, especially Gabriel's.
• Retroactive Recognition:
  • Wonder Woman (2017) fans might recognize Aleera as Dr. Poison. She would also star in Justin Timberlake's video for "SexyBack".
  • Silvia Colloca, who played Verona, later found a steady career in Australia as a TV chef and cookbook author.
• Special Effect Failure: The extensive use of CGI, a problem with most of Stephen Sommers' films, has aged a bit. The film was made in 2004, a time when CGI was becoming more mainstream as the go-to special effect, but not quite perfected to look seamless. Though some would say that adds to the Narm Charm of the movie.
  • During the prologue sequence, Dracula and the Brides flying through the sky in the distance looks okay—the key word being "distance." The vapor around them, however, looks more like early video game 3D graphics.
  • The fight with Hyde looks more like Helsing is fighting a character from Shrek.
  • While some practical effects were used on the brides' bat forms, any time they show their monstrous nature while in their human ones (Stretching their mouths for instance) it looks a bit off, like the animation isn't integrated too well with the actresses.
  • The carriage jumping across the bridge unfortunately looks like very obvious CGI in a film with otherwise very good effects.
• Spiritual Successor:
  • Naturally to the first Mummy movies given that both those and Van Helsing are Stephen Sommers' actionized takes on the Universal Horror icons, and more would've been revamped had a sequel been made.
  • This movie is very, very Castlevania. Namely when Dracula turns into a bat-demon (cue "Dance of Illusion").
  • Many people who watched the Hotel Transylvania films thought this film was if the series was live-action and made for adults.
  • This movie is essentially Ravenloft or Castlevania with automatic crossbows instead of whips. The Reveal that Dracula is really a member of the same Valerious clan that fights him is similar to Dracula being a Belmont in the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow continuity, made later. That Dracula is even named Gabriel.
  • To Bram Stoker's Dracula. Both movies state that Dracula became a vampire in 1462, Dracula turning into a giant humanoid bat first came from that (as movies go) and the brides were given an Adaptation Dye-Job similar to those in Dracula. What's more is that Silvia Colloca has often been compared to Monica Bellucci, fellow Italians who both played Dracula's queen bride. The blonde bride dies first in both films too.
  • The video game tie-in is one to the 3D Castlevania games and Devil May Cry.
• Strangled by the Red String: Some feel that Anna and Van Helsing don't appear to have any connection that warrants The Big Damn Kiss they get. They do bond in the second act but it could easily be a platonic or friendly connection. On seeing her picture in Rome, Van Helsing does seem quite taken with her, and possibly would have several weeks to think about her on the voyage to Transylvania, explaining it on his side somewhat.
• So Bad, It's Good: As long as you don't take it too seriously, the movie can be seriously entertaining.
• Squick: Van Helsing digging through a vampire egg sack to see what the undead vampire-babies inside look like.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character:
  • Although Anna is introduced as a supposedly competent heroine, she spends far too much time getting captured and not doing anything right. If the movie had actually shown that she was out of her depth and had her evolve into a competent fighter, she might have come across better.
  • It feels a bit disappointing having the vampire children (and perhaps, by extent, their mothers) be completely chaotic and irredeemable, as well as a bit of a wasted development after Frankenstein's monster (and Velkan and Van Helsing in their werewolf states are used to cast some sympathy upon the world of monsters. It would have been interesting to see (although perhaps difficult to execute) this expanded to show some of the other vampires turn against Dracula and not pose a threat to humanity.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: The only thing that can kill Dracula is... a werewolf. Which Van Helsing has conveniently been turned into. This plot point comes across as something of an Ass Pull, with a lot of viewers wishing there had been more focus on Van Helsing using his wits to defeat his nemesis.
• Tear Jerker: Anna's death. Van Helsing even cradles her in his arms while crying.
• Vindicated by History: Back in 2004 many people thought it was a bad movie; but when The Mummy (2017) came out and audiences got a taste of what the Dark Universe was shaping up to be, more people came to like this film for showing a better depiction of the Universal Movie Monsters.
• Visual Effects of Awesome:
  • The Brides' harpy forms still hold up quite well, pulled off with some state-of-the-art motion capture technique.
  • This movie features some of the best (if not the best) looking werewolves to be seen on the big screen.
• Wangst: Dracula's first appearance after the prologue boils down to "I can't feel emotions, so I'm going to be emotional about it!"
• The Woobie:
  • Anna has lost her entire family by the start of the movie, and loses her brother midway through it, and she also has to deal with the guilt of those who helped her being targeted by Dracula and his minions. She at one point tearfully says that Dracula "has taken everything from me". It's not hard to imagine her as a possible Death Seeker before Van Helsing arrives.
  • This version of Victor Frankenstein seemed to sincerely love his creation, and didn't want him to be used for the evil that Dracula wanted - even being willing to kill Dracula to protect him. He also seemed to think that Dracula was funding his experiments because "you said you believed in my work". He dies trying to save his son.
  • The Creature himself acknowledges Victor as his father and loses him only minutes after being born. His first impression of the world was a mob trying to burn the two of them to death, and he lived in isolation for a year worrying he wouldn't be accepted.

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