Barnes & Noble

There’s a whiff of "marketing ploy" in this 30-minute animated prequel to the monster box-office hit Van Helsing, released direct to DVD just as the movie hit the theaters. But it sure doesn’t play like a cheap brand extension. The animation, creepily atmospheric, is a cut above; and Hugh Jackman, the film’s star, provides the voice of the lead character, Van Helsing, one of "humanity's protectors" as a Knight of the Holy Order. The script has its witty touches, and film buffs will appreciate the opening black-and-white Universal logo, a nod to the studio's horror film legacy. Please note, though, that the unrated program is no more geared for young children than the PG-13 feature film. It begins with a harrowing, surprisingly graphic murder committed by the dread Dr. Jekyll. Van Helsing is dispatched to London, where he becomes embroiled in this deadly case that leads to the royal palace, where an unwitting Queen Victoria is under Jekyll's influence. Van Helsing has definite franchise possibilities, and The London Assignment plays not so much as a prequel as it does the pilot for a TV series. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Van Helsing: The London Assignment offers a glimpse into the title character's life before he became a renowned monster hunter, and chronicles the sequence of events leading to his acceptance of the position. With the city being terrorized by nightly crime sprees, the Knights of the Holy Order conclude that they must send a young Van Helsing into London in hopes that he will find and capture the perpetrator, Mr. Hyde. The animated prequel features the voice of Hugh Jackman, star of the 2004 movie adaptation of Van Helsing. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Product Details

• UPC: 025192451324
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Letterbox
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Français, Español
• Time: 33:00
• Sales Rank: 21,699

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