release year: 2000
genre: vampire
viewing setting: theater, 1/10/2001
what I expected: judging by the previews, something refreshingly new in the genre
what I got: entertained, pure and simple
synopsis: Beneath London lies a massive vault, which is too tempting for a band of crack thieves. Unfortunately, the loot turns out to be nothing more than an ancient coffin...
impressions: This wasn't high art, but it was entertaining - highly so. It had blood, violence, scares, humor, references to the classic Dracula story...and it had a good twist pertaining to Dracula's origin. Although the tie-in with the Van Helsing family made sense to the plot, I found myself wishing that the movie had simply been about Dracula running amok in our time. Oh well. Another minor gripe: this movie was set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and was rated "R." Therefore, I was disappointed that the only breasts we got to see were brief and in passing. Come on, guys. I mean, really. This was somewhat made up for by certain members of Dracula's harem, namely Jennifer Esposito and Jeri Ryan. Impressive. If I was Dracula, I'd probably never leave home.
acting: Gerard Butler made a good vampire lord: tall, dark, brooding, and with both nobility and attitude. Christopher Plummer did a good job as the old Van Helsing, as did the kid who played his young protege. I wasn't too impressed with the Van Helsing daughter character.
final word: Entertaining, which is all that you can ask from any movie, but especially a horror movie, and most especially a vampire movie.
rating: C+