Van Helsing: The London Assignment (2004) (V)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Sharon Bridgeman

Writers:

Garfield Reeves-Stevens (written by)
Judith Reeves-Stevens (written by)

Release Date:

11 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Action | Adventure | Animation | Fantasy | Short

Plot:

In this animated prequel to the Van Helsing movie, Van Helsing travels to London to deal with the mischievous Dr. Jekyll. |

Plot Keywords:

Prequel | London | Queen Victoria | Vampire Slayer | Jekyll And Hyde

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Hugh Jackman	...	Gabriel Van Helsing (voice)
Robbie Coltrane	...	Mr. Hyde (voice)
David Wenham	...	Carl (voice)
Grey DeLisle	...	First Victim (voice)
Dwight Schultz	...	Dr. Jekyll (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Coachman (voice) (as John DiMaggio)
Scott Mosenson	...	Palace Guard (voice)
Alun Armstrong	...	Cardinal Jinette (voice)
Roger Jackson	...	Drunken Gentleman (voice) (as Roger L. Jackson)
Julia Fletcher	...	Lady In Waiting (voice)
Tress MacNeille	...	Queen Victoria (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Young Victoria (voice)

Also Known As:

Van Helsing Animated

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (Violence) | UK:12 | USA:Not Rated | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Company:

Universal Cartoon Studios

Goofs:

Plot holes: This film is considered a prequel to live action film Van Helsing (2004). The characters of Carl and Van Helsing appear to have a working relationship already established in this story despite the fact that they are "first introduced" to each other in the live action film.

Quotes:

Gabriel Van Helsing: [adjusting the last touches on Carl as he is dressed as a woman to be bait for Mr.Hyde] Could you stop squirming?
Carl: If you had bougth me the proper sized corset I wouldn't have to squirm!
Gabriel Van Helsing: There. A vision of loveliness.
Carl: I told the cardinal when he got your cable, I am not a field man!
Gabriel Van Helsing: There isn't much danger of you being mistaken as any kind of man, Carl!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#32.3)" (2004)

Better than the movie. Like most things.

It occurs to me that Universal missed a trick with "Van Helsing: The London Assignment" - this animated featurette may as well have been released with "Van Helsing" as a supporting feature. On the other hand, that might not have been the best idea, since this is considerably easier to get through than the overblown and underinteresting movie... if only because there's less of it.

Essentially setting up the Parisian showdown between Van Helsing and Mr. Hyde that kicks off the live-action extravaganza, the short subject indulges in the same advantage-taking of famed fictional characters as the movie - like the appalling Anthony Perkins vehicle "Edge Of Sanity," writers Judith Reeves-Stevens and Garfield Reeves-Stevens take the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and add a bit of Jack the Ripper to the mix - and the same over-the-top action, only with plenty of Asian-flavoured animation in its scenes of violence and murder.

Having Hugh Jackman, David Wenham and Robbie Coltrane repeating their roles from the movie (our hero, his assistant Carl and Mr. Hyde respectively) helps, and it's dramatically done, but the movie's biggest plus is that it's more straightforward and less determined to throw everything into the mix than the movie. It passes the time, but with the necessarily abrupt ending and the feeling that this is little more than a(nother) tie-in, it's hard not to be relieved that there won't be a sequel or a followup TV series. Then again, there's a sequel to "Baby Geniuses"...