Customer Reviews

Bram Stoker's Way Of the Vampire

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

First of all, I love vampire movies. Even campy ones. But they better be good campy. This was neither. I gave this movie one star because it did show blood. That is the only thing reasonable I can say about a movie so cheap looking that most of the actresses in it look as if they should be porn stars.

There is a plot, I quess. Van Helsing is brassed off that his "true love" was killed by Dracula. So he becomes immortal himself, fast forward 100 yrs, and sets about killing off the remaining vamps.

That's it. Bram Stoker should rise from his grave and haunt the idiots who made this movie.

No, this is not `Dracula.' Not even `Dracula vs. Frankenstein.' This is yet another quickly-made, cheaper version of vampire flick that has nothing to so with Bram Stoker. And here is my advice: Don't watch it! No, don't even think about it.

The Asylum, independent film company which produced such films as `H. G. Well's War of the Worlds' (no, not Tom Cruise version, but C. T. Howell's) and `Frankenstein Reborn' in 2005 alone, gives another low-budget direct-to-video film. Having seen the first one, I expected little from this `Van Helsing' clone, but I never expected that this could be such a wretched film!

The film opens with evocative black and white images of the vampire hunters including Helsing (Rhett Giles), who are going to hunt down the Dracula and other vampires. It was 100 years ago, and Helsing succeeds in his mission, but has to pay the price later, losing his wife he left behind.

And Dr. Abraham Van Helsing is still living as young handsome doctor in one LA hospital because he was given an eternal life by the Catholic Church in order to kill all the vampire princes on earth. Until then, he is not allowed to die.

To be fair, the story is not bad. But the shoddy editing and poor acting ruin what little merit `Way of the Vampire' has in the first five minutes. I am willing to turn a blind eye to the low-budget production designs, but this is unacceptable. Lighting is so dark that you cannot see the actions clear enough, and the `stake' that should be driven into the heart of vampire looks like a sprig.

There is no `so-bad-so-good' fun here. Not even campy fun as in `Scream Blacula Scream.' Avoid this, and see Hugh Jackman's `Van Helsing' instead, It is not a classic, but 100 times more entertaining.

Purportedly based on a short story by DRACULA scribe Bram Stoker, WAY OF THE VAMPIRE is a ridiculous, poorly directed and acted, waste of celluloid. Van Helsing (a stoic but bland Rhett Giles) is cursed with eternal life until all the darkest princes are destroyed. After a beheading of Dracula (a cameo by action star Paul Logan), Van Helsing lives through time until we meet up with him in present day Los Angeles. Vampires are a pitiful lot now, unable to hunt due to the curse of being caught and destroyed. However, led on by their leader Sebastian, they return to the hunt. Meanwhile Van Helsing assembled a motley crew of vampire slayers and the confrontation begins. The movie is hopelessly dull and offers no genuine thrills or chills. Another movie that gives support to the overkill of the Dracula legend, and proof that a truly original vampire movie or at least a refreshing update is hard to find.

The sets, the costumes, the story, the actors, all have potential. It just doesn't come alive to a level at which you get transported into the movie.

When Sebastian and his girlfriend discuss hunting again, you would think you are in an x-rated movie from the sounds they make. Not good.

All through the scenes, the actors make grandiose statements that are not accompanied by good acting, so the statements sound really fake.

The prostitute just stands there, her back to a white wall, half dressed, in broad daylight. Not real.

The doctor and the nurse discuss the vampire victim like she were the only patient in the entire hospital. They look too fresh and manicured, which comes off as very fake.

Sorry director of this movie, you missed too many things. Not worth moviegoer time.

My personal opinion? I can't help but compare my bitter disappointment of this movie with that which I experienced when I purchased Stephan King's Gunslinger Series, and Dean Koontz's Ice Bound. In those instances I was left thinking that surely somebody else must have written those books? What were they thinking?? Novel vs Movie, but the comparision comes to the same conclusion, to myself anyway. I guess it's a mistake to expect a certain level of excellence, regardless of the name attached.This movie is so badly done that I can honestly say it was a painful experience! Thankfully I only wasted 30-40 minutes before it simply became too much to bear.

I'm usually really forgiving for movies people dismiss as junk, epically monster movies, but this...I wouldn't even say this movie rivals 'made for TV' movies. The directing was bad, the acting was embarrassing, the story boring, and the sets were funded by the local dollar store. Stick to your neighbors home movies, there probably scarier.

I happen to catch this movie on Chiller last nite. Apparently Scifi(SyFy)has push some of their movies to Chiller. This movie had a good ideal. Having Van Helsing fight off vampire in Modern Day LA. I sorry I can't vampire are scared to feed because of Van Helsing. S**t it didn't stop the vampires in Blade. He's is half vamp. Helsing didn't have has strength or speed. Why didn't this vamps buy a blood bank or get the homeless. In LA there is plenty to live off. They won't be missed. That part really piss me off. The main villian didn't have any real plans. There is black vamp chick. She was always yeahing and dude was like yo. I just want some booty. I don't what was worse the vamps crew or vamp helsing crew. You just wanted both of them to died. Please somethign bite n stake these actors. I can say that Van Helsing crew is a bit more organize. It's a fun bit laugh at. But don't buy or rent this movie. If your interested in seeing that bad. Watch on Syfy or Chiller.

This movie HAD potential with a good story, but the bad acting and low budget put a stake through this movies heart. Asylum (Sci-Fi channel?) brings us another masterpiece which actually looks like it may have been filmed in one day-maybe.
Van Helsing kills Dracula but mistakenly leaves his (way to hot for him) wife under the care of one of Dracula's princes (Sebastian). This prince bites her and Van Helsing is forced to put an end to her before she turns. Van Helsing takes a vow to remain immortal until the last vampire is killed off. The movie moves fast forward to modern day LA where the vampires are leading a rat life existence until Sebastien decides that they will feed on humans again taunting the fact that Van Helsing will find and kill them.
The acting is just too robotic and over the top that it turns into a comedy... This is why there are `starving actors' in Hollywood because these people think they can act just like all the fools who believe (in the beginning anyway) they can sing on American Idol.
Sebastien- We must feed on the humans.
Arianna(screaming way too loud-Sebastien is 3 feet from her)- But what about Van Helsing??!!!!!! He will kill us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are a few bonus nudity shots with girls (as one reviewer wrote) that appear to be porn film stars not with the "just the girl next door look'-at least not next door to me!!
Like most of these bad `B' films.....rent it when you're having a few beers with your buds and have a few laughs.

It was horrible... I couldn't even sit through half of it. I started watching it, then tried watching it on fast forward and still had to turn it off.

Bram Stoker's WAY OF THE VAMPIRE
With Rhett Giles, Denise Boutte.
Theasylum.cc
Lots of atmosphere in this little pic that could, Think its only 3 years before The Next Wave.
Rhett Giles took this role and perfected in `Draculas Curse'.
Denise Boutte steals EVERY scene she is in as Vampiress and truly came into her own in `DEATH VALLEY : Revenge Of Bloody Bill'.
Vampire and hero have a connected past and both are immortal, Until modern times reunite them.
Soundtrack is by SCORPIONS Ralph Rieckermann, And it sets the tone for a film that tries really hard to give the viewer a feeling of gothic vibe at choice times.