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Van Helsing (2004) | First Time Reaction

Camp Diegesis

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Arianna and Maple dive into the monster-hunting mayhem of Van Helsing (2004) for the very first time. Hugh Jackman stars as the legendary vampire slayer, dispatched by the Vatican to battle Count Dracula, werewolves, and Frankenstein’s monster in a gothic action-adventure that mashes classic Universal monsters with early-2000s blockbuster spectacle.

Joined by Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale), Van Helsing faces supernatural foes, dark secrets, and relentless battles across castles and cathedrals. From Dracula’s sinister brides to explosive monster showdowns, Van Helsing delivers campy thrills, big effects, and nonstop gothic action that has made it a cult favorite.

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20 Comments

@SgtOddity300 11 months ago

This film was my childhood. It physically hurt me to hear it being called a scooby doo filmm hahaha. Rose tinted glasses are an amazing thing.

@YPThePoet 11 months ago

Every time I think of Van Helsing I think of my dad, god rest his soul he loved this movie, me and him used to watch this all the time.

@Lazurmang 11 months ago

target audience? my 14 year old self who thought "hell yeah" at every scene regardless of how much it didn't make sense :D

@jjkk1630 11 months ago

It may be camp, but to this day it remains the best Castlevania screen adaptation we've ever gotten.

@WayneQuashie-j4d 11 months ago

Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and a Werewolf?
This is what UNIVERSAL is known for.....MONSTERS!!!!!!😊

@CertifiedSunset 11 months ago

The movie makes a lot more sense when you see it from the perspective of a stage play with all of the over acting and goofy plot. It's a fun mindless monster film with a convoluted storyline. Obviously you have to be in a certain mood to enjoy the film, but there's a reason why it has such a cult following of people who enjoy it, including me.

@rollmops7948 11 months ago (edited)

the fryar monk was Faramir from "Lord of the Rings" and also the one eye Spartan in "300"

@xjudoflip7381 11 months ago

Hugh Jackman being confused for Russel Brand has to be one of the biggest compliments for Russel Brand. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@mikedignum1868 11 months ago (edited)

Guilty Secret film. You have all the old 1930s monster films rolled into one...Frankenstein/Werewolf & Vampires. FYI - The film grossed $300 million worldwide against a budget of $160–170 million but was not well received by critics.

@cmn2793 11 months ago

I think the problem with some reactions on this channel, like the one about this movie, is that before the movie even starts, they're already set in their "this movie is ridiculous, let's criticize everything and make fun of how poorly it's made" mode. I think that's a mistake. This one, like Point Break, is a fun movie. Just because it's over-the-top and a little silly doesn't mean you can't enjoy what it's about. In fact, it's a super enjoyable movie. I think that leads them to laugh at things that aren't funny or criticize things excessively. They should focus more on having a good time and letting the movie carry them away, like they did with the Fast and Furious movies.

@Lvit2BeaverTail 11 months ago

25:42 - Arianna’s giving Key and Peele “Gremlins 2 Pitch” Sketch

@kylewestlake982 11 months ago

This movie has always been special to me. I personally know the guy who drew the monsters for this, as well as both live action Scooby Doo movies.

@rainbowpegacornstudios 11 months ago

One of my favorite Hugh Jackman movies. It really blew my mind to learn that Robbie Coltrane (AKA Hagrid from Harry Potter) did the voice and facial motion capture modeling for Mr. Hyde. I love The Brides, the lore of Count Dracula, Van Helsing's werewolf form and the look of Frankenstein's Monster.

@frmthefuture 7 months ago (edited)

so this was supposed to be a franchise of movies that flesh out the backstory / origin of abraham van helsing- the old scholar from the original dracula novel.

in the novel, while van helsing was portrayed as an old mana, he was also very mysterious. he was a noted medical doctor, professor, lawyer, philosopher, scientist, and metaphysician. the guy had working knowledge of folklore [of various peoples], the occult [religion, rituals, magic, etc], mechanical engineering, virology, military tactics, lockpicking, biology, hunting, and could speak / read several languages ['modern' and ancient] including english, german, french, latin, hungarian, dutch, swedish, romani, and turkish.

@nstcinema8443 11 months ago

i was almost 20 when it came into our cinemas and it was absolute ride.. soundtrack, camera, casting, scenery, action and fun.. the camera work and edit was outstanding and also cgi at that time. Isaw this movie more than 20 times till this day and i will watch it again and again .. one of the best made-up movies pack full with action, lot of characters, tragic romance and many more

@bugsbunny3198 11 months ago

37:41- comparing this movie with shark boy and lava girl is crazy

@Krustenkaese92 11 months ago

this was one of my fav movies growing up, it's so ridiculous and goofy while having some decent action and cool monsters, it's such a good time. always thought it's a bummer that people take it too seriously and ruin it for themselves.

@Khalior 11 months ago

I like your channel and reviews, but this feels like you were told that this was a bad movie before starting it and you just ran with that instead of giving it a chance.
Yes - everyone who filmed the movie knew what they were going into and they had fun doing it. This was intended to be a PG-13 summer blockbuster with a medieval James Bond story structure that involved the 3 most known classic monsters from Universal Pictures. You're not meant to think about it too much or take it seriously - this is just an amusement park ride. Once you understand all of that, it's easier to digest and you get to have fun with it.