Special effects can be a wonderful addition to any film, if used in the rights quantities. Many skeptics ridiculed George Lucas for relying so heavily on special effects for the last two "Star Wars" films; "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow", to be released later this summer, was completely done with special effects -- the actors were in front of blue screens for each and every scene in the film. Personally, I think Lucas walks the line perfectly between special effects and reality, while "Sky Captain" is not on my must-see list for this year. "Van Helsing" is the first summer blockbuster and relies heavily on special effects for the astonishing action sequences contained therein, but also manages to walk the same line as Lucas -- just enough is just right.

      Hugh Jackman stars as the famous Gabriel Van Helsing, though in many films he is referred to as Abraham Van Helsing, which I believe is a more accurate title. Van Helsing works for the Catholic Church, vanquishing evil throughout the world, going wherever he is needed, all the while searching for the truth behind his past, for Van Helsing has no memory of his previous life other than nightmares involving ancient Roman battles. When the church sends Van Helsing to Transylvania, they tell him very little of what he needs to know, other than that he is suppose to prevent Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale) from kicking the bucket before Dracula is killed, thus removing an existing curse preventing all of her ancestors from entering heaven. By the end of the film, he has fought every creature known to man -- Count Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, Mr. Hyde, and numerous other vampires and werewolves.

      This is a film that lives from action sequence to action sequence -- the audience never really gets a break. One of the most astonishing sequences comes at the end when Dracula and Van Helsing (in different form) are sparring it out in a recreation of Frankenstein's lab -- just look at how realistic the metamorphosis scenes are -- just as good as anything out of "An American Werewolf in London" or "Bram Stoker's Dracula". And the "Van Helsing" version of Frankenstein looks far more accurate than Robert DeNiro in the less than stellar 1990's adaptation. The creatures in this film are extraordinary and I sat there dazzled at the immense special effects genius that it must have taken to master these beasts.

      Van Helsing is portrayed with flair, sarcasm, and machismo by Hugh Jackman, a fine actor, who knows just how to deliver lines that could have turned south in the hands of another, less talented actor. Rumor had it that Vin Diesel was in talks for this role -- thank God for small miracles. Kate Beckinsale, who is not my favorite actress, tight walks her way through a dicey Romanian accent, and David Wenham provides plenty of comic relief as Van Helsing's sidekick, and scientist. The real highlight of the film, however, is the always pleasant Richard Roxburgh as Count Dracula -- he has so much fun with the role that it is obvious he doesn't want his character to die so he might appear in the sequel. Also, listen to the voice of Mr. Hyde -- that is Mr. Robbie Coltrane from "Harry Potter" and "From Hell" -- I recognized it right off and confirmed my beliefs at the end of the film.

      This is a film that has set a nice pace for the summer movie season, being the first real blockbuster and all. "Van Helsing" has the potential to become a franchise in the motion picture industry, though I do not know which creatures they could tap for the sequel, considering most were used up in this film, and people will get tired of watching Van Helsing do battle with vampires and werewolves. And I really hope they try and avoid the whole zombie genre -- it is way overdone these days. Whatever Van Helsing brings us next, I will be there in the theatre waiting to watch it. This was a fine popkorn film, and all around entertaining romp.