Dracula 2001 review
More random horror reviews - this time, one of the worst vampire films ever committed to the silver screen
Dracula 2001
AKA
Dracula 2000 (US)
Tag
The Most Seductive Evil Of All Time Has Now Been Unleashed In Ours.
Director Patrick Lussier
Writer Joel Soisson, Patrick Lussier
Stars Justine Waddell, Jonny Lee Miller, Gerard Butler, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Esposito, Jeri Ryan, Sean Patrick Thomas, Christopher Plummer, Omar Epps
Certificate 15
Year 2000
Dastardly Plot
Christopher Plummer’s Van Helsing, complete with obligatory stupid accent, has a deep dark secret locked in his safe. Unfortunately for the group of ne'er-do-wells who covert his family jewels the secret is the remains of old Drac himself. Before we know it Drac has risen from the grave (now there’s a surprise) and is supping on their necks. The thieves, led by Van Helsing’s assistant Solina (the incredibly sexy Jennifer Esposito), are transformed into the undead and the big D heads off to track Van Helsing’s estranged daughter, Mary Heller. And all because naughty Dr Helsing has been keeping himself alive by injecting himself with Dracula’s blood, plasma that’s now been passed onto young Ms Heller. Whoops.
Vicious Verdict
It should have been so good. Unfortunately, the stilted dialogue rips the jugular out of a promising concept, while more nails are hammered home thanks to uninspiring direction and well, just plain awful acting save for Plummer and Esposito. The scares are just not scary enough and the action lifeless, which is a shame as Soisson and Lussier provide an intriguing twist on the Dracula legend. And when the logo of a world-famous music store appears more times that the titular bad-guy (just how much did Virgin pay for that any way?) you know you’re in trouble. Some films are so bad they’re good; others are just bad. Guess which one this falls under.
Sinister Sounbite
Patrick Lussier on Drac's origins -"Joel and I had been talking about trying to find a source for the Dracula legend, and we had both just finished going through Stoker's book. In the book, Dracula's origins are in no way made clear; he's in Transylvania, but he's clearly older than that. You don't know where he comes from, or if he is in fact Vlad. You assume it, but you don't know it. We were thinking what if he goes on before that, who could he have been? Then you look at the effects of the cross, silver and holy water, basic Christian things, and why. Then we started thinking about his last sunset, and if the cross is really going to effect you, if your last sunset is really going to be at the crucifixion itself."
Terrifying Trivia:
* The Mardi Gras scene features a massive mask of Béla Lugosi as Dracula
* Van Helsing’s antique business, Carfax Abbey is named after the house that Drac inhabits in the original novel
Quaking Quotes
"I never drink... coffee" - Drac's obviously come right up to date since the 1930's!
"Propaganda!" - Dracula dismisses the bible used as security against him.
High Points
Erm, struggling here. Miss Esposito is satisfyingly hammy (and have I mentioned gorgeous) and the central ideas are intriguing but handled badly.
Low Points
A complete humour bypass, duller than dishwater direction and lack of acting talent. Not even camp enough to raise some ‘ironic’ guffaws. Avoid.
Skulls out of five
ONE!
Dracula 2001
AKA
Dracula 2000 (US)
Tag
The Most Seductive Evil Of All Time Has Now Been Unleashed In Ours.
Director Patrick Lussier
Writer Joel Soisson, Patrick Lussier
Stars Justine Waddell, Jonny Lee Miller, Gerard Butler, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Esposito, Jeri Ryan, Sean Patrick Thomas, Christopher Plummer, Omar Epps
Certificate 15
Year 2000
Dastardly Plot
Christopher Plummer’s Van Helsing, complete with obligatory stupid accent, has a deep dark secret locked in his safe. Unfortunately for the group of ne'er-do-wells who covert his family jewels the secret is the remains of old Drac himself. Before we know it Drac has risen from the grave (now there’s a surprise) and is supping on their necks. The thieves, led by Van Helsing’s assistant Solina (the incredibly sexy Jennifer Esposito), are transformed into the undead and the big D heads off to track Van Helsing’s estranged daughter, Mary Heller. And all because naughty Dr Helsing has been keeping himself alive by injecting himself with Dracula’s blood, plasma that’s now been passed onto young Ms Heller. Whoops.
Vicious Verdict
It should have been so good. Unfortunately, the stilted dialogue rips the jugular out of a promising concept, while more nails are hammered home thanks to uninspiring direction and well, just plain awful acting save for Plummer and Esposito. The scares are just not scary enough and the action lifeless, which is a shame as Soisson and Lussier provide an intriguing twist on the Dracula legend. And when the logo of a world-famous music store appears more times that the titular bad-guy (just how much did Virgin pay for that any way?) you know you’re in trouble. Some films are so bad they’re good; others are just bad. Guess which one this falls under.
Sinister Sounbite
Patrick Lussier on Drac's origins -"Joel and I had been talking about trying to find a source for the Dracula legend, and we had both just finished going through Stoker's book. In the book, Dracula's origins are in no way made clear; he's in Transylvania, but he's clearly older than that. You don't know where he comes from, or if he is in fact Vlad. You assume it, but you don't know it. We were thinking what if he goes on before that, who could he have been? Then you look at the effects of the cross, silver and holy water, basic Christian things, and why. Then we started thinking about his last sunset, and if the cross is really going to effect you, if your last sunset is really going to be at the crucifixion itself."
Terrifying Trivia:
* The Mardi Gras scene features a massive mask of Béla Lugosi as Dracula
* Van Helsing’s antique business, Carfax Abbey is named after the house that Drac inhabits in the original novel
Quaking Quotes
"I never drink... coffee" - Drac's obviously come right up to date since the 1930's!
"Propaganda!" - Dracula dismisses the bible used as security against him.
High Points
Erm, struggling here. Miss Esposito is satisfyingly hammy (and have I mentioned gorgeous) and the central ideas are intriguing but handled badly.
Low Points
A complete humour bypass, duller than dishwater direction and lack of acting talent. Not even camp enough to raise some ‘ironic’ guffaws. Avoid.
Skulls out of five
ONE!
posted by Cavan Scott at
2:46 pm
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