Van Helsing is a loud, messy, CGI-soaked relic of the early 2000s. It’s not 'good' cinema by any stretch—the critics were right about the thin plot—but it’s a fun enough monster mash if you go in with low expectations.
For modern kids, the biggest hurdle is the visuals. We're in an era of seamless Marvel effects, and this movie features werewolves that look like rubbery cartoons. However, as a gateway to classic horror tropes, it still serves a purpose, provided you don't mind a lot of bone-crunching sound effects and some very dramatic cape-swishing.




