A Review of My Favorite Movie

I recently heard someone say that choosing your favorite movie is choosing between children. While it may not be that drastic, I couldn’t help but think about how accurate the statement seemed. Between the immense range of genres and the different filming methods that defined generations, there are thousands of great movies out there. That being said, one movie that is a particular favorite of mine is Van Helsing.

Besides the obvious eye-catching duo of Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale clad in leather, Van Helsing offered a visually stunning, engaging story that brought new energy to a reimagined character. I remember the night I first saw the movie. My parents had rented it from the local Family Video, and we all grabbed our blankets and smooshed in together on the couch. At the time, I had only seen Hugh Jackman in the X-Men movies, and I had no idea if he was going to be any good. From the beginning, though, I knew I was hooked.

The filming was fantastic, blending nods to the original film adaptation and creative effects to bring the viewer into a new version of the Dracula versus Van Helsing story. In the first scene, the black and white tone emphasizes the classic Frankenstein story to set the tone before transitioning to color in the “real-time” introduction of Van Helsing.

In addition, the makeup effects and transitions from human to monster throughout the story are artfully done. The first werewolf transition we see was filmed on a wall that was set at a 45-degree angle so the actor could appear to be climbing up the wall. The entire transition was portrayed as an excruciatingly painful experience with skillful camera and makeup techniques. Yet, later in the movie, we see instant werewolf transitions as the wolf intentionally turns to attack Dracula and later almost melts out of the wolf form in sorrow when a character he cares for dies.

Ultimately, the film, and many other films like it, seem to be underrated. Vanhelsing is packed full of comic relief, stunning art, and fantastic casting. In all honesty, I would be hard-pressed to identify any notable flaws with the movie that outweigh the success of the technical filming execution. Between the character development, the skillful filming and makeup techniques, and the creative script, the film will forever be one of my favorite movies of all time.