Overhated & Underrated: This Overhated Creature Feature Is Controversial For All the Wrong Reasons

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I absolutely love horror movies, and it all started with Universal’s classic monsters. There’s something amazing about seeing those iconic creatures on screen – it captures the same sense of awe and slightly nervous excitement that inspired characters like Victor Frankenstein. Before I discovered the brilliance of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula or Lon Chaney Jr.’s The Wolf Man, though, I was hooked by the 2004 film Van Helsing. It’s a fun, action-packed horror movie that clearly pays tribute to those earlier Universal monsters, but it often gets unfairly criticized – it just came out at the wrong time.

I developed my passion for monsters and horror through watching Van Helsing, but looking back, it’s clear the movie has a distinct style that won’t appeal to everyone. I recognize its weaknesses – the special effects haven’t aged well, it’s often overly silly, and it prioritizes action over genuine scares, unlike Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy. It’s no surprise this film has received a lot of criticism over the years. However, I believe time has been kind to it, and it deserves a fresh look. Like the monster in Frankenstein, it’s simply misunderstood and needs the right audience to appreciate it.

Van Helsing’s Characters Make it Unforgettable (For Better or Worse)

What really makes Van Helsing… well, Van Helsing, is the cast, and Hugh Jackman is a standout. It’s funny, he was just Wolverine in X2 the year before, and he really leans into this monster-hunting action hero vibe – almost like a James Bond who fights vampires. He doesn’t bring a ton of subtlety to the role, but he’s incredibly charismatic and fun to watch. What I especially liked was how Jackman showed Van Helsing’s internal conflict – he clearly hates the killing he has to do, yet he’s so good at it. It was a neat touch seeing him almost prefer saving monsters instead of destroying them, even though he knows most of them would probably choose to fight. It added a layer to the character that I really appreciated.

Shuler Hensley’s performance as Frankenstein’s Monster is a standout. He portrays the character as Mary Shelley originally envisioned – a thoughtful and intelligent creature who, despite initially wanting to die, decides to embrace life. He truly elevates the film with his impressive steampunk-inspired design and a story that expands on the classic tale. While he’s the only monster with this level of depth, the film’s other monsters are still enjoyable and add to the fun.

I really loved Richard Roxburgh’s portrayal of Dracula. Like Bela Lugosi’s, he embraces the over-the-top performance style, but it feels so authentic that it’s impossible not to enjoy. His strong Transylvanian accent matches his long hair, and he’s as clever and quick-witted as Van Helsing himself. The dynamic between Dracula, his brides, and the werewolf is fantastic – they feel like a band of eccentric, outcast rock stars, and there’s even a memorable scene showcasing their cool vibe. While it might not be perfect for a typical action horror film, the movie has a lasting appeal and, looking back, is exactly what this series needed. The film’s success hinges on its attitude, and it’s a shame more people didn’t recognize its unique quality – something that’s missing from many of Universal’s later monster movies.

The special effects in this movie are admittedly a bit rough, but considering when it was made, it’s impressive. What really saves it is the actors, who worked hard to make their performances complement the effects. For instance, Dracula’s brides aren’t just scary monsters; they have distinct personalities that come through even as they transform into bat-like creatures, shifting from frightening to playfully over-the-top and back again. The wolfman’s transformation, which changed a lot from the original story, really benefited from Will Kemp’s performance. Even though the transformation was entirely CGI – he literally appeared to shed his skin – Kemp’s physical acting conveyed the pain and echoed the dramatic style of classic monster movies. Ultimately, the characters in this film show that paying homage to the past can sometimes lead to campy moments, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable and memorable. Not every horror movie needs to be relentlessly grim, and if The Mummy can embrace a lighter tone, so can this one.

Van Helsing Capitalizes on a Sprawling World

Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe popularized interconnected franchises, Universal’s Classic Monsters pioneered the concept. Characters like Dracula and Frankenstein were huge stars, and their early movies—especially Dracula’s Daughter and Bride of Frankenstein—were remarkably innovative for their time. No one initially thought these monsters would ever cross paths, but films like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula proved it could be done while still creating a connected storyline. It’s fair to say that shared universes as we know them today might not exist without the foundation laid by these classic monster movies.

While The Mummy was a big success in 1999, cleverly blending classic monster lore with the adventure style of Indiana Jones, it oddly limited Imhotep to a single film, with sequels focusing on different mummies. This makes the lukewarm reception of Van Helsing even more puzzling to me, despite it arguably deserving the criticism. What I find interesting is that Van Helsing actually combines the strengths of both The Mummy and the adventure-horror style, creating a fun and scary experience, similar to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe offers. It’s a world worth revisiting.

What makes Van Helsing so enjoyable is its ability to tell a complete story while also hinting at a larger world. The first movie focuses on Transylvania, with Van Helsing battling the werewolf and Dracula, but it cleverly establishes him as part of an organization equipped to fight monsters globally. This naturally sparks exciting possibilities, like Van Helsing facing off against creatures like the Creature from the Black Lagoon or the Mummy, without changing who he is. Even today, when franchises are popular and Universal has had trouble launching one, Van Helsing and its rich world still feel like a brilliant idea that arrived before its time.

Universal Has a Monster Problem Van Helsing Could’ve Fixed Early On

I’ve always loved classic monster movies, so I’ve followed every attempt to create a shared cinematic universe. It began with Dracula Untold, a pretty good film that unfortunately got weighed down by plans for a franchise. While it wasn’t terrible, it didn’t quite capture the fun balance of horror and action that Van Helsing did. But the biggest disappointment was definitely 2017’s The Mummy. It awkwardly tried to connect to earlier Mummy movies and launch Universal’s Dark Universe, but it didn’t even focus on the Mummy as the main character. Ultimately, the idea of a new era of gods and monsters just didn’t deliver.

While I’m not a big fan of The Mummy movie itself, my biggest issue with it is that it didn’t learn from what worked in older Mummy films or even movies like Van Helsing when it came to making a good horror-action movie. It was the studio’s last attempt to create a shared universe with its classic monsters, and more recently, films like The Last Voyage of the Demeter and The Invisible Man have tried to give these stories a fresh take.

The movie Van Helsing begins with an exciting fight scene featuring Mr. Hyde in Paris, though many viewers don’t realize it’s a direct continuation of the story told in the animated film Van Helsing: The London Assignment. That animated film captured the classic gothic horror feel that had been missing from Universal Pictures for years, and it built a rich, detailed world that felt ripe for further adventures. Interestingly, the filmmakers even tried to include the Creature from the Black Lagoon in the movie, but those plans didn’t pan out. Van Helsing was supported by video games, a large collection of toys, and a broad marketing campaign designed to attract a wide audience. It seemed to have everything needed to launch a major franchise, and even with its flaws, it’s a genuinely fun and entertaining movie to watch.

Van Helsing is the Perfect Movie For the Wrong Decade

I remember when Van Helsing came out – it totally flopped with critics, and honestly, it felt like the idea of a franchise died right then and there. Even today, people still pick on it – the CGI hasn’t aged great, and yeah, it’s definitely over-the-top at times. But you know what? I think that’s part of its charm! Whether you love Dracula as this wild, rockstar villain or Van Helsing as this brooding, James Bond-esque monster hunter, there’s just something fun about it. It’s been over 20 years, and I still find myself going back. Every other attempt to build a monster universe since then seems to either mess with the source material too much, try to be overly serious, or just isn’t scary enough. Van Helsing wasn’t perfect, it stumbled a bit, but it managed to get the balance right in a way few others have.

I’m a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other monster movies, but it feels unfair that Underworld – which came out around the same time as Van Helsing and shares similarities with The Mummy – doesn’t get as much appreciation. While Van Helsing isn’t flawless, it was overly criticized. Right now, Universal Pictures could really benefit from a film like Van Helsing. A stylish and entertaining monster hunter facing off against classic Universal monsters is a great way to revive those franchises. If fans connect with characters like Frankenstein’s Monster, it could even lead to spin-off movies.

Over time, Van Helsing will probably continue to be unfairly criticized as a forgotten film from Universal’s history. But like many things, perspectives change with time, and hopefully, as more people discover and watch it, they’ll appreciate its unique qualities, just as I do. It’s rare to find a horror movie that’s genuinely fun, action-packed, and provides lighthearted scares, and Van Helsing managed to do all of that perfectly. While it’s not flawless, that’s because it was innovative for its time. If we now enjoy colorful, over-the-top superheroes and horror movies that are both frightening and enjoyable, I believe we can finally recognize and celebrate Van Helsing for what it truly is.

Overhated & Underrated will be back next month as Jamie Parker defends an adventure movie icon.

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2025-10-23 19:21