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Although it鈥檚 heralded as a 鈥榃es Craven presents鈥 feature, you would be hard pushed to find any of the post-modern wit or superlative frights associated with the horrormeister in this bloodless re-tread of the vampire legend.
The infamous neck-puncturing count (Gerard Butler) has spent decades entombed in Dr Van Helsing鈥檚 basement while the suspiciously long-in-the-tooth physician tries to figure out how to off him permanently. But tragedy strikes when a gang of thieves break into the cellar, accidentally releasing the hacked-off blood sucker onto the modern world. And before you can say Anne Rice Vlad鈥檚 winging his vengeful way to New Orleans to get his teeth into Van Helsing鈥檚 daughter Mary,(Justine Waddell), pursued by Van Helsing and his assistant Simon (Jonny Lee Miller).
Directed and co-written by the editor of the "Scream" series, "Dracula 2001" is bargain basement horror. From the clich茅-laden script and lamentable acting to the snigger-inducing, shoddy special effects. The new twist on the undead legend has all the hallmarks of a Y2K millennial angst cash-in, while Butler鈥檚 waspish vamp harks back the weakest Hammer House schlock. Overblown orchestrations accompany billowing dry-ice, dodgy dentures and that now-pass茅 "Jacob鈥檚 Ladder" wobbly-head effect seen in countless pop promos since. In fact, it鈥檚 hard to determine whether this is a film or an ad, the product placement is so obtrusive and distracting.
Destined to enter the so-bad-it鈥檚-good hall of fame, "Dracula 2001" is a prime example of that old remake adage; if you can鈥檛 do it better or different 鈥 don鈥檛 do it at all.
"Dracula 2001" is due out in cinemas on 15th June 2001.
A very hunky Dracula - more please!
