VAN HELSING: THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT

By: Patrick Sauriol
Review Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Released one week after Stephen Sommers live-action film, VAN HELSING: THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT may prove to be the more entertaining of the pair. Serving as a direct prequel to the beginning of the movie, THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT (hereafter referred to as TLA) starts off with a mysterious beast-like man stalking and killing women from the streets of late 19th century London. Called upon to investigate the mystery due to its supernatural elements is Gabriel Van Helsing (voiced by Hugh Jackman). Together with his faithful sidekick, the monk Carl (voiced by David Wenham), the pair encounter the person behind the killings: none other than Mr. Hyde (voiced by Robbie Coltrane).

Props should be given to Universal for making two direct-to-DVD prequel adventures for their summer films (the other being DARK FURY for THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK). While I haven't seen the VAN HELSING movie, the reviews that I've read haven't left me charging down to the local movie theater to see it. Hopefully much of that critical fallout won't affect the curious from picking this one up for a rental; TLA provides a fun, enjoyable ride for its 33 minutes of animation.

The most impressive part of TLA is the action sequences. Here the artwork is fluid and fast moving, and appears better than expected considering the dark backgrounds and costumes the characters wear. Of particular note is a chase sequence between Van Helsing and Hyde atop an underground subway where the former gets to use his weapons and cool gadgetry furnished by Carl. Here, in the realm of animation, Van Helsing comes across as a Victorian-era version of a monster-killing Batman and it works.

Also of note is Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens' script. TLA serves as an adequate bridge between the two stories but also is able to deliver its own story within a short time frame. The inclusion of Queen Victoria as the love interest to Dr. Jekyll (don't worry, it makes sense) is an interesting idea and adds to the period atmosphere of the tale.

Also included on the disc is an "Animatic to Animation" feature which compares the storyboards of four sequences to the finished animation. There's a short look at the making of the VAN HELSING console game (also voiced by Jackman) and a half-hour behind-the-scenes look at the big-budget movie which plays like one of those E! Network movie specials but does offer quite a bit in terms of interviews with the show's cast. Throughout the features Jackman offers his thoughts on the hero as he plays Van Helsing from live-action film to video game to an animated character.


If the movie whetted your interest in the world of VAN HELSING, or if you're looking to give the monster hunter a second chance, THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT is worth a look. I could easily see further adventures of Van Helsing in animated format, it's just whether the numbers add up for Universal to make 'em.


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