Van Helsing

[Dimwhit]

By niche I meant female lead in action based movies, Sigourney Weaver being one of the last ones, much like Ashley Judd in murder/mystery dramas and Julia Roberts in romantic comedies.

Although, to be fair, she's pretty good in the romantic comedy. Saw Serendipity with the wife, and it was good. Kate did quite a good job.

I still can't believe she was in Much Ado About Nothing...so she has some Shakespeare in her background, too.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Although, to be fair, she's pretty good in the romantic comedy. Saw Serendipity with the wife, and it was good. Kate did quite a good job.

I still can't believe she was in Much Ado About Nothing...so she has some Shakespeare in her background, too.

She been great in everything, I just think females in Hollywood come and go based on whos hot and what buzz they get. Getting in the pulp (action/fantasy/sci-fi/spy) movies builds a resume' and a (loyal) fan base greater than any other type of movie, just wait one day she may be a GENCON.

 

[kingpaul]

PLot stuff did nag at me a bit, though. I mean, if Dracula can summon up an entire ballroom full of vampires for one little dance, and vampires procreate by killing people, why did they need to revive their little alien pod vampire children in the first place?

Spoiler

I really think that is linked to Drac's comments to Kate's brother about proving that not only God could create life. IF he could pulll this off, perhaps the devil, whom he had a deal with, would be able to have a better chance on taking on Heaven.

 

[barsoomcore]

I've figured out why I liked Van Helsing.

It's exactly like the sort of action-adventure campaign I aspire to run.

That's not a bad way to consider things. There's certainly no shortage of good game ideas in the movie.

But I find that good movies don't often resemble good campaigns, and vice versa. What works in one form doesn't work so well in another.

I mean, imagine if my players said, "Okay, so we'll take the Monster out of Romania in a stagecoach. And we'll send a SECOND stagecoach as a decoy ahead of the other."

I'd say, "Okay. So first the vampire chicks catch up with the rearward stagecoach, that has the actual monster and no Van Helsing in it, and they (roll, roll) kill everyone. What do you do next?"

You know? This isn't the best example because it doesn't work in the movie and it also wouldn't work in a campaign, but you get the idea. If my players were put up against a villain as stupid as Dracula is in this movie, the adventure would be over in half an hour. In a movie, the characters have to follow the dictates of the creators, and so the plot can progress in the appropriate manner. There was a time when as a DM I thought I could run games like that.

A wide variety of players over many years have disabused me of that notion.

But like I say, there's lots of good game ideas in this movie (vampires using unwilling werewolves as minions, Dracula's castle, the "frost portal", the Monster hiding under the burned-out windmill, etc, etc). For me, that's what movies and books are more useful as -- a source of "raw material" rather than "finished products", if you know what I mean.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I think a lot of people compare this movie to Dracula but it needs to be compared to House of Frankenstein (1944).
.

 

[rollnrocker]

Overall would you guys recommend seeeing the movie in the theatres???

 

[kingpaul]

Overall would you guys recommend seeeing the movie in the theatres???

I didn't feel that my $6.75 admission was wasted...I went in expecting a fun romp and got just that.

 

[rollnrocker]

Well then i guess i know where i'll be spending this sunday afternoon..

 

[Crothian]

Overall would you guys recommend seeeing the movie in the theatres???

I think its a more wait and see..if you can see it at a discount theater that would be good

 

[buzzard]

Overall would you guys recommend seeeing the movie in the theatres???

Be careful who you ask.

I would reccomend checking reviews of other films by the people here and finding views you are congruent with.

I'd say don't bother going, but then maybe I'm picky. I also didn't like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or Attack of the Clones (though this was worse than either).

Van Helsing made me cringe repeatedly and considering leaving. I rarely ever consider leaving.

buzzard