Review of Van Helsing: The London Assignment

Introduction

This story is the prequel to the live action blockbuster in the cinemas this summer. With a view to the DVD release this animated prequel has been presented with a bundle of `extras` that are mainly about the live-action film.


Van Helsing is is sent tp London. There have been some horrific murders of prostitutes and Van Helsing`s mentor fears there is non-human evil afoot.Indeed when he gets to London the huge ape-like creature turns out to be Mr Hyde the alter ego of Dr Jekyll.

The opening scenes in the Vatican mimic those of the film.


This animated feature is 33 minutes long.

Video

Nice idea to have a graphic novel presentation rather than going down the computer-style of the game. When computer animation is used for the train sequence it sticks out badly. The problem with using the graphic novel look does have a downside of making the characters rather stiff and this leaves a lot of work to the voices making the whole thing rather wooden.

Audio

I can`t think of much to comment on this-despite the 5.1 presentation there is not much sound action worth getting excited about and the less said about what could loosely be called a script the better. Despite being written by industry stalwarts Garfield and Judith Reece-Stevens who write a lot of original novels for series such as Star Trek, the story never lifts off. Still perhaps they didn`t want to outshine `Van Helsing` itself which did not have the most inspiring dialogue.

Features

Most of the content would be a feature if not a bonus.
"Behind the Screams" featurette. This covers the making of the live-action film and is quite interesting. Unfortunately it is presented by one of `Dracula`s brides` with an irritating manner.

Animatic to Animation

Basically a storyboard to finished product look see.

Interview with Hugh Jackman-blink and you will miss it.

The Making of the Game

Would you like to buy the game-here`s an extended advert for it.

Conclusion

Cynically I feel this is a package put together to wring some more money out of the franchise and whet our appetite for the forthcoming DVD release of the live-action film, and the bonus contents certainly reflect that by mainly being material relating to the film.

The animated short at 33 minutes just about manages to wrap itself up before you want to shove it out without its coat. It falls severely short in the scripting department, in much the same way as the original VH. On the plus side I did quite like the graphic novel animation.

At least the original actors are used for this prequel; unlikely to happen if it became a series. The actors do their best to breathe life into the leaden script but without the visual capers of the original film to distract us it all falls rather flat.

It is extended PR exercise to recover the missing millions from the coffers; it doesn`t stand up in its own right and yes, yawn, I found it rather dull.