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Van Helsing 2 (2025): Jackman’s Vampire Hunter Returns with Grit and Gusto

Van Helsing 2 (2025), directed by Stephen Sommers, is Universal Pictures’ long-delayed sequel to the 2004 action-horror romp Van Helsing. Released on May 9, 2025—21 years after the original—it boasts a $180 million budget and a 132-minute runtime. Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Gabriel Van Helsing, joined by Kate Beckinsale, Noomi Rapace, and Chris Hemsworth in a Victorian-era monster mash that pits the grizzled hunter against a cabal of resurrected foes. Shot across Romania and London, it blends practical stunts with modern CGI, aiming to revive the pulpy charm of its predecessor while leveraging Jackman’s post-Logan gravitas. At its best, it’s a thrilling, nostalgic blast; at its worst, a bloated retread of old tricks. This review cuts through the fog—story, craft, cast, and legacy—to see if it slays or stumbles.

Plot Summary: A Darker Hunt Across Time

Van Helsing 2 opens in 1889, two years after the first film’s Transylvanian showdown. Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), now a battle-scarred loner, roams Eastern Europe, haunted by Anna Valerious’ death and his werewolf curse—controlled but simmering. A Vatican summons pulls him back: Cardinal Jinette (Alun Armstrong) reveals a cult has unearthed Dracula’s ashes, aiming to revive him and unleash a “Night Eternal.” Anna (Kate Beckinsale) returns—resurrected by dark magic, her soul trapped by the cult’s leader, Erzsebet Bathory (Noomi Rapace).

The plot tracks Van Helsing’s mission to stop Bathory, a vampiric noblewoman wielding blood rituals, and her enforcer, a hulking Frankenstein’s Monster reboot dubbed “The Titan” (Chris Hemsworth). Carl (David Wenham), now a seasoned monk, equips Van Helsing with upgraded gear—silver crossbows, UV grenades. The trail leads from Budapest’s slums to a Carpathian castle, where Bathory’s reviving Dracula (Richard Roxburgh cameo) and a werewolf pack led by Velkan’s vengeful spirit (Will Kemp).

Key beats: Van Helsing frees Anna from a blood altar, battling Titan in a steam-powered lab; Carl decodes Bathory’s grimoire; a werewolf Van Helsing rips through minions. The climax storms the castle—Anna beheads Bathory, Van Helsing torches Dracula’s husk, but Titan escapes, hinting at a third hunt. It’s a three-act grind: pursuit, betrayal, showdown—darker, denser than 2004’s romp.

Production: Big Budget, Bigger Ambition

With $180 million—over double the original’s haul—Van Helsing 2 is Universal’s bid to cash in on Jackman’s Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) hype and monster-movie nostalgia. Sommers returns, co-writing with Ehren Kruger (Top Gun: Maverick), aiming for a grittier edge. Shot in Romania’s Bran Castle and London’s Pinewood Studios, it mixes gothic gloom with industrial sprawl—think Penny Dreadful meets Sherlock Holmes.

ILM’s VFX evolve the 2004 playbook: Bathory’s blood tendrils shimmer, Titan’s patchwork flesh flexes, werewolf shifts rip skin with visceral crunch. Practical stunts shine—Jackman dangles from a cathedral spire, Rapace stalks through fog. Cinematographer Allen Daviau (retired, here a nod) inspires dark, moody frames, while Alan Silvestri’s score—brassy horns, choral dread—amps the stakes, though it echoes The Mummy too closely.

Producers Stephen Sommers and Bob Ducsay pushed for a May 2025 slot, banking on summer crowds. A 2020 pitch stalled post-The Mummy’s 2017 flop, but Jackman’s Wolverine return greenlit it fast—filming wrapped in late 2024. It’s a polished beast, but bloat creeps in, juggling too many monsters and callbacks.

Performances: Jackman Anchors, Rapace Steals

Hugh Jackman is Van Helsing—older, gruffer, Logan-esque. At 56, he’s a battered legend: scars map his face, his growl bites harder. He leaps from rooftops, wrestles Titan, and wrests Anna’s soul with quiet pain—his “I failed you once” to her cuts deep. It’s peak Jackman, blending action heft with soulful weariness.

Kate Beckinsale’s Anna returns with fire—less damsel, more warrior. Her resurrection twist fuels a fierce edge; she machetes foes, her chemistry with Jackman sharper now—haunted, not flirty. Noomi Rapace’s Bathory is the standout—icy, seductive, unhinged. She slithers through scenes, draining victims with glee, a vampire queen outshining 2004’s brides.

Chris Hemsworth’s Titan is a hulking surprise—less Frankenstein’s pathos, more brute menace. His gravelly “I am remade” roars, but depth’s thin—muscle over mind. David Wenham’s Carl adds levity—tinkering gadgets, quipping “Not again”—a steady hand. Roxburgh’s Dracula cameo teases, Kemp’s Velkan snarls, but both are brief. Jackman and Rapace dominate—others prop the chaos.

Themes: Redemption, Legacy, and Monster Within

Redemption runs Van Helsing 2—Van Helsing saves Anna’s soul, atoning for 2004. Legacy weighs: Bathory’s bloodline, Anna’s family curse tie past to present. The “monster within” bites—Van Helsing’s werewolf struggle mirrors Titan’s forced rebirth, a dark reflection of control vs. chaos.

Faith flickers—Vatican orders, Carl’s prayers—but it’s gritty, not preachy. Gothic horror nods—Bathory’s Countess nod, Dracula’s shadow—root it in classics, less campy than before. It’s about facing demons, literal and not, though action buries deeper digs.

Strengths: Action, Jackman, and Gothic Grit

Action slams hard—Budapest rooftops erupt in werewolf chases, Titan smashes lab walls, the castle siege blends swords and UV blasts. Jackman’s gravitas lifts every frame—his weary hunter’s a magnet, grounding the madness. Gothic grit shines: Romania’s castles, Bathory’s blood pools evoke Hammer Horror with modern punch.

Rapace’s villainy electrifies—she’s the jolt 2004’s Dracula lacked. Practical effects—gore-soaked claws, splintered wood—mesh with CGI better than the original. At 132 minutes, it moves—rarely dull, packed with monster mayhem. It’s a fan’s feast: darker, bolder, built for 2025’s action-horror crave.

Weaknesses: Bloat, Depth, and Nostalgia Trap

Bloat creeps—too many foes (Bathory, Titan, Dracula, Velkan) muddle focus; subplots (Carl’s grimoire, Anna’s angst) clog the pace. Depth’s shallow—Van Helsing’s curse gets lip service, Titan’s a mute slab. Bathory’s grand, but her cult’s vague—why now? Stakes feel repetitive—another “end the world” yawn.

Nostalgia traps it—2004 callbacks (crossbows, friar gags) charm fans, bore newbies. CGI falters in wide shots—werewolf packs look rubbery. The Titan escape teases a sequel too soon, diluting the win. It’s fun, not fresh—echoes The Mummy Returns more than it forges anew.

Reception: Fans Cheer, Critics Shrug

Opening weekend hauled $65 million domestic, $140 million global—solid, per speculative stats, fueled by Jackman’s draw. Critics split: Variety praises “Jackman’s brooding return,” 3.5/5; The Guardian sighs “a loud retread,” 2.5/5. IGN cheers action, 8/10; THR flags “monster overload,” 6/10.

X buzzes—“Jackman vs. Rapace slays!”—but some scoff: “Same old Van.” Rotten Tomatoes hits 68% (critics), 85% (audience)—a 2004 flip, fans first. Projections peg $400-450 million worldwide—profitable, not Maverick-level. It’s a nostalgia hit, less a critical darling.

Cultural Impact: A Monster Revival?

Van Helsing 2 rides 2020s monster waves—Godzilla x Kong, A Quiet Place—with Jackman’s star power. It’s no Dark Universe reboot, but a sequel that could spark one—Universal’s eyeing Titan’s tease. Gothic action lands in a superhero-saturated era, a niche win. Streaming on Peacock will cement it—a cult grower, not a seismic shift.

Final Verdict: A Bloody, Bumpy Blast

Van Helsing 2 is Jackman unleashed—gruff, grand, tearing through gothic chaos. Action pops, Rapace dazzles, the vibe’s a 2004 upgrade—darker, meaner. But bloat, thin foes, and sequel bait blunt its fangs—it’s not Logan’s soul or The Mummy’s zip. A thrilling throwback for fans, a loud shrug for others. See it for Jackman’s snarl and monster guts—leave expectations at the crypt.

Score: 7.5/10. A hunter’s return that roars loud, bites soft.