Van Helsing(2004)
2004 · Stephen Sommers · 132 min
Famed monster slayer Gabriel Van Helsing is dispatched to Transylvania to assist the last of the Valerious bloodline in defeating Count Dracula. Anna Valerious reveals that Dracula has formed an unholy alliance with Dr. Frankenstein's monster and is hell-bent on exacting a centuries-old curse on her family.
Horror · Adventure · Action
6.46.8k votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
2/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Van Helsing scares
It moves fast from the start, throwing you into monster fights and chase scenes rather than building slow dread, and it never really slows down for quiet tension. This is more of an action movie with monsters than a horror movie meant to unsettle you. Dracula, werewolves, and Frankenstein's creature show up as spectacle and adventure fuel, not as sources of real fear. It's built for fun, popcorn thrills, not for anything that will stick with you afterward.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Van Helsing rates psychological 1/5, visceral 3/5, gore 2/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 2 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 65 of 100 — leans Jump scares
Supernatural vs Real-world: 10 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 10 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
An action-packed monster mash that opens with a bang and keeps hitting hard set-piece after set-piece with barely any quiet stretches, building to a big all-out finale.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 3, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5.
How scary is Van Helsing?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Van Helsing rates 2/5 — moderately scary, delivering its fear through jump scares more than lingering dread. It attacks the body more than the mind — physical, in-your-face horror. Expect it to be moderately gory and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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