Customer Reviews

Dracula 2000

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(39)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(36)

 

 

First, watch the DVD deleted scenes, extended scenes and audition featuring Gerard Butler. That will get you in the right mood! Then start the film.

The first 30 minutes are a mess. After the opening scenes with Christopher Plummer as Van Helmsing, that lays the groundwork for the story, they could have skipped all the scenes about the stealing of the coffin and just had Plummer tell Simon (Johnny Lee Miller) "we been robbed!".

But the young people and the robbery and taking the coffin by plane and it crashing - all could be handled by voice-over. This is just a mess and not one of the actors are interesting or have any charisma. Especially Solina (Jennifer Esposito) going into the vault, dark and creepy and skulls and gad! you get the picture. We are in for a fright! Bah!!! So lame.

Our first great shot of Dracula (Butler), is on the plane when he walks into the section of the plane and reaches out for Solina - and like any sane woman, she goes right to him. The love bite is next. Um Hmmmm! In the meantime, Mary Van Helsing is having dreams/nightmares seeing Dracula in her mirror. She is speechless, and we are too. OMG! She keeps saying "wake up - you're dreaming" but then he comes close and sniffs her and says "you're real" and I have to pause the film and fan myself.

Troubled Mary goes to the church in New Orleans where the priest is a childhood friend, to get some answers about her Mother and as he is putting the candles out and turns to Mary - it is him, the big D. A gaze to die for. The next is Dracula perched like a gargoyle on the church parapet above the Mardi Gras revelers and he says "Farewell, Princess." Perfect!

Down at street level, he walks among the drunken revelers with a bemused look. There is a giant TV screen showing dancers silhouettes, there are beads and coins tossed at him as he looks on with a knowing smile. He watches the giant screen flash images of atom bombs, rock stars, lingerie ads and women mud wrassling and says "Brilliant." Great satire!

His walk through the "Virgin" record store is iconic, with all the young gals turning to look as he passes by. He gets Lucy, Mary's friend to take him to their home. His comment to Lucy, when she can't come up with a word to describe Mary's mothers decor of the house "catholic?" is priceless. And to her query "would you like some coffee?" he says " I don't drink----------coffee." Timed perfectly with just the right look. And of course, he has her on the bed and on the ceiling! Faint!!!

It is like there are two films here - one a brilliant satire with great lines. And the other an incoherent teen/slasher/bloodfest. But it is almost possible to just start anywhere after the first 30 minutes and the story is interesting and makes sense of the Judas theme.

The cinematography has some beautiful scenes. The Red Hall - the curtains blowing and the eastern theme music for the desert and cross scenes. The few lines Dracula(Butler) utters are great and with timing and marvelous expression. "The Bible is propaganda." "You think you can defend her with the Bible." To Mary "Everything I have is yours; and all you are is mine." (Shades of The Phantom.)

Dracula to the Jesus Cross "I give them (revelers below) what they crave most. All the pleasures you denied them."
And his gesture to Mary - arm and hand out as the camera pans away and he says "come let us feast" and the kisses. Wow!! Nellie bar the door. I want some of that! (8/10 - would have been higher but that first 30 minutes is just bad!)

This was a modernized version based on the characters from the original novel by Bram
Stoker. Here we find Van Helsing still alive in modern times having appointed himself the keeper of Dracula's corpse because Dracula could not truly be killed. Dracula lays prone in a death-like state in a vault and Van Helsing is using Dracula's blood, siphoned through leeches, to keep himself alive for all these years. Then some young hoods steal the coffin thinking it contains valuables and unwittingly help Dracula escape his prison. The ensuing battle between Van Helsing and Dracula to save Van Helsing's daughter from joining the undead leaves behind plenty of corpses. In a surprise conclusion we learn who Dracula really is . . . and in this movie they do not claim he is really Vlad Tepesh, Prince of Wallachia as in most other movies. I realize by the description is sounds like some rehash of an old Hammer film but this movie is slick, well presented and very entertaining. If you like vampire movies it's a great addition to your collection.

I give this 2.5 stars, and that's mostly because 1. the gimmick/idea that ties together the "whys" of Dracula is interesting and 2. Gerard Butler has amazing screen presence.

The story: Baddies go to steal a hidden treasure (thinking valuable item). This item has been encased and entombed by Van Helsing (yeah, that Van Helsing), the guardian of this particular treasure. As you can guess, it's not jewels or the Holy Grail. It does have to do with blood: Dracula. Baddies get killed/turned. Dracula, who has some kind of psychic connection to Van Helsing's daughter, Mary(estranged from Papa and living in New Orleans pre-Katrina), goes seeking the woman of his dreams. Nothing really interesting or spooky happens. Yes, folks get bitten. Yes, some get killed. Yes, nice guy goes to save Mary from a toothy fate. Sirens do their ho-hum thing to nice guy hero. Dracula has showdown with Mary. And...well...not giving the ending away.

Ultimately, we get a new (to me, anyway) spin on the tale when we find out how Dracula was created, and why silver and sunlight and crucifixes and holy water are feared and hated objects to Vampiredom. It's a somewhat elegant answer, but it can't satisfy for a lackluster preamble to the revelation.

Justine Waddell doesn't do much with her role. Christopher Plummer is rather wasted. Jonny Lee Miller has a few cute lines, but is kind of disposable, if likable. Omar Epps didnt' get a chance to do anything worth watching. (He's much better on HOUSE, where he gets some real characterization and infinitely better dialogue.)

So, there's really only ONE reason to watch this film: Gerard Butler.

Now, putting aside for the moment that it's truly bizarre to have Dracula speak in a Scottish accent--fetching, but odd--one can overcome this oddity by the sheer personal magnetism of the man. He makes clunky lines shine through overwhelming emotive power, some real acting chops, and the physical presence to carry off the role. Oh, if they'd only put better lines into his mouth, and not just sharp canines! Only at the end does he really get to speak and emote and burn. It's lovely to watch, for however briefly. A genuinely excellent choice for Dracula, except that Scottish accent. Weird.

If you're a Butlerian Crushgirl--by all means, rent or buy this. The moments with Mr. Butler are worth the price. When he sniffs Mary, it's the kind of fully-dressed erotic moment that puts all the nude scenes in cinema to shame, and it proves that when you have people with intensity and charisma and screen "itness", an expression, a breathy phrase, these are more sensual than a million displays of nakedness and groaning.

If you're not a G.B. fan, or a serious Jonny Lee or Plummer or whomever else in the film fan, skip it. It's just not very good movie-making. All it's got in the end is the cool historical twist and Gerry Butler. For some of you, that may be enough.

Mir

After reading some of the other reviews of this movie, I must admit, I was sceptical about how good it would be. Fortunately, though, I was pleasantly surprised. It was great! But then again, I should have known Wes Craven would come through with the goods.

Some people complained that this movie tries to do too much--it has comedy, horror, suspense and a whole lot of other genres thrown in. But those people should stop trying to pigeon hole things, and just learn to sit back and enjoy the ride! And what a ride! Sure, this isn't the greatest movie I've ever seen, but it is VERY entertaining and very well cast. The actors are brilliant, and whilst I was a bit cold towards the actress playing the part of Mary at first, I did warm to her later on as Wes Craven let her develop into what he is so well known for including in his movies: a strong, capable, kick ass female character!

The storyline was true to many aspects of the original Dracula--enough to keep the diehard fans happy, anyway--and whilst at first I wondered about the fact that silver can be used to kill the vamps (I had thought this was only good for slaying werewolves) this aspect was eventually explained very satisfactorily. The only part of the movie I couldn't quite fathom while I was watching it was why Mary would run into a graveyard to try to escape Dracula--wouldn't a church have made a better sanctuary, or anywhere else but a graveyard, for that matter? But then I thought, perhaps she didn't really want to escape him...

I must admit, though, my favourite part of the movie was when Drac said, "I don't drink...coffee." Brilliant!

Thankfully, this is a much better movie than 'Bram Stoker's Dracula', which was overhyped, overrated and inappropriately named (calling it Bram Stoker's Dracula was a travesty, since it differed from Bram's book in oh-so-many-I-can't-count-them-all ways!) Dracula 2000 is well-acted, well-written and scary enough to satisfy, unlike Bram Stoker's Dracula, in which the scariest things were Gary Oldman's hair and Keanu Reeves' acting (seriously, who thought that casting him as an Englishman would be believable? Someone who also thinks Dame Edna is a real woman, no doubt!)

I'm not just a fan of vampires but someone who has written a book or three about them, and I have to say, I liked this. You probably will too. Enjoy!

P.S. If you're going to read the other reviews listed below this one, then watch out for ones written by 'unsounddrummer' and 'Alien Warrior Woman'. These both contain spoilers that will ruin this film's clever twists for you. I HATE SPOILERS! Like vampires, they suck!

And while we're on the subject of other reviews, I just want to say a few things about one written by Ms. Aimee R. H. Masion, which made me laugh. Firstly, she classes herself as a Vampirologist. Er, what university did that degree come from Aimee? The University of Inmydreams? Aimee says that Dracula would never have wasted blood because blood is food for vampires. Has Aimee never played with her food before, then? Never had a food fight just for fun? Seriously, though, Dracula wasn't looking for an all-you-can-eat human buffet, like a fat undead tourist on a cruise ship of the damned, nor was he thinking about what his parents told him when he was little, that he should eat up all his blood because there are starving vampires in Africa. What he was actually trying to do was subdue the enemy humans and convert them into vampires as quickly as possible. That's a messy business. Hence the blood spillage. Elementary, my dear Aimee. But as a trained Vampirologist you really ought to have known that!

The only reason I got this movie was because Gerard Butler was in it, but , as someone else mentioned, it actually is surprisingly good. Gerard Butler is absolutely magnetic and seductive in this film.He's not even shown on the jacket, but, before the film even was finished, he became considered "lead" actor due to his completely mesmerizing performance. It was this film that got him chosen to play the lead in "Phantom of the Opera"Movie better than the great play (which has abeen playing non-stop since 1986 by the way- making over $6 billion worldwide. See "Dracula" even if only to see Butler.

I am not ordinarily a big fan of Wes Craven, but his casting of Gerard Butler as Dracula was pure genius. Gerry was in turns sexy, charming, terrifing, seductive, and was always pure alpha male! (Face it, the guy could sell cat food and I'd buy it!) The story is a new twist to an old tale which I felt was believable and well written. It was also lovely to see the New Orleans that was, and will hopefully be again. I felt that the early scenes were very slow, but once the film got going I loved it. It's time the old Dracula story got a fresh update and this was very well done indeed!

The most enticing Dracula film made in years! Certainly one of Wes Craven's best efforts to date in my opinion! The cast is fantastic; Christopher Plumber (Christopher Plumber, a living Hollywood legend, does Van Helsing proud!), Gerard Butler (Dracula), Jonny Lee Miller, Justine Waddell, Jennifer Esposito, and Omar Epps. This Dracula story is not just the same old un-dead story. There is plenty of action and incredible effects, as well as many exciting twists and turns in this vampire horror epic. If you like vampire movies this is for you!

There has been a dark 100 year-old secret kept in Van Helsing's vault, one which threatens to destroy him, one which consumes a young woman's dreams. Through a robbery this secret is unearthed and soon it's terror looms over the city of New Orleans. Dracula finds himself in the 21st century in the dark sensuous shadows of Mardi Gras and not only blends in but feels right at home as he seeks his revenge and his retribution. Dracula 2000 has a unique explaination to the origin of Dracula's driving force for his revenge, this is a perspective which has rarely been explored. Usually Dracula's emotions are as dead as he is.
GERARD BUTLER, (300,THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, DEAR FRANKIE), plays the mysteriously, seductive Dracula. With his incredible finess, Gerard Butler's brilliant acting and unique intensity takes you inside the character's mind and soul. Gerard's Dracula has the ability to be commanding and yet calm. In a word he is "INTOXICATING"! When you gaze into his amazing eyes they are hypnotic and enticing, he is Dracula! He can bite me anytime!

This is a wonderful retelling of the old tale. The classic Dracula lore modernized with elements of the pop-culture "slayer" phenomena and added historical depth. Great story: Someone has finally explained Dracula's fear of Christian icons. The action sequences and special effects are a thrill to watch! The film starts off in London and moves to New Orleans. The London heist is very exciting. As for New Orleans, does Mardi Gras happen every day there? The characters are all good looking (even the clergy), but they actually have some depth. Unfortunately, their screen time does not allow the audience to really care about most of them before it's too late. Fans of Jonny Lee Miller and Omar Epps will not be disappointed! Jeri Ryan fans will be left wanting more, but will enjoy her none-the-less! Just keep in mind that this is more of an action film than a horror. Some good humour that I won't spoil, but I will say that they make great use of "company sponsorship".

If you're looking for a faithful adaptation of Dracula, this is not it. This is not a movie to be taken seriously. It's a fun, popcorn movie that will not make you think. At all. Seriously. Not a thought in your head, unless it is to marvel at the best thing to come out of Scotland since kilts, Gerard Butler.
Butler brings a frustrated sensuality to the role of Dracula not seen since Frank Langella's campy 1970s performance. If you're not in love with him already, you will be after watching the DVD extras. His interviews are charming and fun. Though watching his audition reel, where he tried to emote wearing full "Atilla" hair and make-up, was sort of uncomfortable.
So if you like wire fight scenes, new intrepretations of old myths, Mardi Gras beads and pretty Scots, this is the movie for you. If you want to think, there are plenty of documentary DVDs available on this site!
Cheers.

We all know what to expect when it comes to horror and Wes Craven: A mixture of a nightmarish world and dark humour. We've seen it done wonderfully in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, Scream, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and many more. Dracula 2000 is no exception, except for the fact that it adds something new to the mix. Intense action sequences. Sure they rip off The Matrix, but they work in a film about creatures who are supposed to have unique skills and powers.

The back story created that connected Van Helsing, Mary, and Dracula was very interesting, and kept the movie together. You can tell by the commentary given to the movie by director Patrick Lussier and screenwriter Joel Soisson that research went into coming up with the story, and they wanted the film to be serious and have a story. I believe that's why some people didn't enjoy the movie. They didn't know whether to take the film seriously, or just let it be "eye candy". True, it does have the appeal of "eye candy", but when you understand the going on behind the film, you can begin to take it seriously. So I highly recommend giving the audio commentary on the DVD a listen.

Dracula 2000 managed to snag a talented cast full of up-and-coming stars (Sean Patrick Thomas, Jennifer Esposito) and veterans of acting (Christopher Plummer), and even a pop star (Colleen Fitzpatrick aka Vitamin C). Justine Waddell, who plays the main female lead, Mary, did very well at putting heart into her character, but her given dialogue is sometimes - to me - overacted, but in the end she does quiet well. Her voiceover in the end was effective. And I can't write a review without mentioning the person who played Dracula, Gerard Butler. Butler had the actions, the eyes, and the voice to play a perfect Dracula.

Watch Dracula 2000 the first time with an open-mind, and then watch it with the commentary. Both times, it will be like a different movie.