Vampire movies and comedies often don't mix too well but this movie is
at the very least still a tolerable and also decent enough one.
It's probably because the movie isn't being a totally silly one. It never goes too overboard with any of its comedy or characters. Not that the movie is a very subtle one either but at least its comedy and goofiness doesn't feel forced.
Having said that, this still is truly a far from great movie. The story is actually quite messy and seems to be lacking any good focus. It doesn't really follow a clear enough main plot line and the movie could had used a better villain, main character and love-story in it. The villain hardly gets to do anything, which could also be said for the movie its main character. The movie at first lets it seem like it's going to focus on the Casper Van Dien character and his battles with Van Helsing, played by Rod Steiger. However as the movie progresses it's starting to take a totally different approach. Suddenly it's all about the Natasha Gregson Wagner (Natalie Wood's daughter) character instead and the Van Dien and Steiger characters get reduced to secondary ones. This all would had been fine if there was a natural enough buildup to it but the movie just lets it happen, as if halfway through there was a rewrite, that totally switched things around.
It doesn't make this the best or most engaging movie to watch. It also isn't being the most creative one and it's mostly relying on the typical genre clichés. It's one of those vampire movies that's set in modern times, in which ancient vampires try to blend in with the modern world, while yet another Van Helsing descendant is after them. And for some reason Van Helsing is an old German Nazi in this, which seems pretty random and isn't in tune with his original heritage.
The Van Helsing character basically still works out because Rod Steiger plays him, who wasn't exactly known for his comedy roles but he was always capable of playing some amusing characters. And what is a modern vampire movie without having Udo Kier involved? Yes, this movie also stars Kier, in a pretty small though and yes, he's a vampire (surprise, surprise)!
There are no real surprises in this movie and nothing really stands out about it but it at least does a decent enough job at entertaining you, without ever becoming a great movie as well really.
5/10
It's probably because the movie isn't being a totally silly one. It never goes too overboard with any of its comedy or characters. Not that the movie is a very subtle one either but at least its comedy and goofiness doesn't feel forced.
Having said that, this still is truly a far from great movie. The story is actually quite messy and seems to be lacking any good focus. It doesn't really follow a clear enough main plot line and the movie could had used a better villain, main character and love-story in it. The villain hardly gets to do anything, which could also be said for the movie its main character. The movie at first lets it seem like it's going to focus on the Casper Van Dien character and his battles with Van Helsing, played by Rod Steiger. However as the movie progresses it's starting to take a totally different approach. Suddenly it's all about the Natasha Gregson Wagner (Natalie Wood's daughter) character instead and the Van Dien and Steiger characters get reduced to secondary ones. This all would had been fine if there was a natural enough buildup to it but the movie just lets it happen, as if halfway through there was a rewrite, that totally switched things around.
It doesn't make this the best or most engaging movie to watch. It also isn't being the most creative one and it's mostly relying on the typical genre clichés. It's one of those vampire movies that's set in modern times, in which ancient vampires try to blend in with the modern world, while yet another Van Helsing descendant is after them. And for some reason Van Helsing is an old German Nazi in this, which seems pretty random and isn't in tune with his original heritage.
The Van Helsing character basically still works out because Rod Steiger plays him, who wasn't exactly known for his comedy roles but he was always capable of playing some amusing characters. And what is a modern vampire movie without having Udo Kier involved? Yes, this movie also stars Kier, in a pretty small though and yes, he's a vampire (surprise, surprise)!
There are no real surprises in this movie and nothing really stands out about it but it at least does a decent enough job at entertaining you, without ever becoming a great movie as well really.
5/10
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