Dracula (2000)

An immortal human being named Matthew Van Helsing (Christopher Plummer) who keeps himself alive with these objects that look like leeches has battled Dracula (Gerard Butler) down in London, England almost two centuries ago and thought that he has put an end to him. He kept him safe in coffin at a chamber.

During the year 2000 a group of thieves from New Orleans steal the coffin but end up being killed by Dracula during their plane flight back to New Orleans as their plane crashes in a lake.

Then Dracula wrecks havoc with the locals their killing people by drinking their blood as well as turning them into vampires to work for him in order to search for Van Helsing's daughter Mary Heller (Justine Waddell) so he can turn her into one of his people.
Van Helsing and a vampire hunter named Simon Sheppard (Jonny Lee Miller) travel from London to New Orleans to try and rescue her before it's too late.
Mary has a bad feeling about Dracula being able to trap her with no escape.

During the beginning the story seems quite rushed but then it starts to make sense while watching through it. There's the good ole traditional burglar break in getting a coffin with deadly booby traps around it which makes it necessary that this coffin is definetely nothing you want to mess with.
There's good shots on an old ship during a prologue in the sea with some corpses.
Cool shots on Matthew Van Helsing using a needle to get blood from a leech as well as his reactions whne he injects it acting like he is really getting high along with nice close up shots on his eyes changing.
Of course there's a perfect traiditional airplane moment with the vampire resurrected which can make you jump at times and the whole surrounding on it looked creepy enough and this isn't your average vampire so to make it necessary for the millenium there's great looking effects to make this creature look even more deadly which should attract any viewers who love vampire flicks since you won't be disappointed. There's of course the typical non reflective moments where dracula isn't seen on camera or in a mirror reflection as well as good hypnotic moments. Yet he doesn't turn into a bat which has been overly used in old fashioned dracula movies and it wouldn't fit into this story at all.
A good surrounding with some of the characters around Dracula's coffin plus great moments with some boobytraps when they try to remove the coffin too.
There's a great jumping moment with Dracula suddenly jumping up from his coffin and grabbing Nightshade by the throat as well as a great close up shot on his fangs.
The story sometimes didn't take itself seriously with many humorous moments like someone trying to do the news and there's many bloopers, plus dracula is searching for a female virgin he hunts down who works at Virgin Megastore and the people who turn into vampires act goofy at times which uplifts the movie a bit.
A nice surprise shot on Dracula standing upside down revealing his fangs as well ready to attack.
A good close up eye to eye shots on Dracula and Solina as well as a good shot on him reaching his hand to her and suddenly biting her on the neck.
A nice hallucination sequence with Mary Heller and Draculal trying to shake off from what she's seeing and telling herself to wake up while Dracula himself stares at her mysteriously and slowly walks towards her. There is also a close up camera shot on them face to face.
A nice peaceful discussion between Mary and Father David when she tries to confess to him at a cathedral.
A nice battle scene with both Abraham and Simon Sheppard against mainly Solina as she shows some nice vampire like attitude.
Perfect discussion between Abraham by telling Simon about his past with Dracula a century ago as there's a good narration by him showing a flashback that involved him and Dracula.
A nice shot on Dracula sitting on top of a ledge of a house.
There's also an even at Mardi Gras with a big screen of music videos which totally looks great for the film and making it different in every aspect than any other vampire movie (Well except for The Lost Boys). To top it off there's good flashback sequences during the beginning of Dracula which looked nice and solid too.
A nice shot on Dracula walking by in a music store with some girls browsing some Cd's and him looking like Mr Charming. Good shots on the these girls noticing him.
A nice setting between Dracula holding Lucy Wesserman's hand in a music store showing that vampire like charm.
Dracula does well slickly coming up to Lucy on a staircase face to face as well as great camera shots on a lustful scene between the two of them with good effects.
Great fighting sequences between Marcus and Simon Sheppard with some good kicking and body slamming in a parking lot.
A nice shot on Dracula cornering Abraham and speaking silently to him.
A nice angle shot in the hallway of the house with Mary Waddell being trapped between Valerie standing and speaking to her along with Solina and Lucy crawling on the sides of the walls which looked quite suspenseful.
There's also a good camera shot panning in on Dracula in the hallway about to charge towards Mary. There's also a cool shot on a wolf running to attack when this happens.
Perfect shots on Mary running through a cemetary with fog rolling in.
A good and brief moment on Simon being pitted against Valerie, Solina and Lucy.
Good camera shots on him near a ledge.
A good setting with with Mary biting Simon on the neck as well as him reacting in pain to it. Both Solina and Lucy do well reacting to this showing their fangs and breathing out loud.
A great battling sequence between Dracula and Mary along with Simon battling Solina which were the best fighting sequences.
It's a nice look at a Dracula film of the millenium and it's terrifically paced and lots of vampire action fighting as sometimes their attacking moments will take you by surprise.
Bottom line is this film is very well done with alot of good humouress dialogues which works quite well with the storyline and good CGI effects too. It's a nice beginning for a Dracula flick of a new decade in the film industry followed by two sequels.

The acting is in good taste. Gerard Butler (Dracula) is believeably scary as Dracula with his menacing looks and dynamic performance as well as his cold like speaking. He has the right creepy looks to him which is another bonus for this film and totally studied his role incredibl well proving her can amuse the audience with his devilish charm but he isn't one of those average vampire's who pretends to be nice and comes across as really nasty and coldblooded. Does well with his quiet speech in front of an electric crucifix hanging from the top of a building.
Christopher Plummer (Abraham / Matthew Van Helsing) brings the charm to his role as an immortal Van Helsing trying to hunt down Dracula as he is great with his character and speech. He has the nice older gruff looks too and a nice serious attitude too. He brought alot to the set and knew his stuff very well. This guy is the man for sure.
Justine Waddell (Mary Heller) was also great with her role too as Van Helsing's troubled daughter. She shows a nice accent as well as a good sensitive attitude to her role with someone who is believeably troubled and frightened too. She also had the beautiful virgin type looks too. She's impressive holding a bat and walking around the house by being cautious in case Dracula is near. Does well looking frightened and trying to escape when someone is ready to attack her.
Jonny Lee Miller (Simon Sheppard) shows terrific energy as a vampire slayer as he shows nice aggressions and a good uplifting attitude without being too serious even if he is on a serious mission really bringing out the fun in his performance.
Jennifer Esposito (Solina) seemed to grab alot of viwers attention as a lustful vampiress who knew her stuff inside out. Does well acting very crazy and lustful in certain scene's.
A nice and witty performance wit Jeri Ryan (Valerie Sharpe) screwing up doing some takes on the news near a swamp as well as a great painful reaction on her when she is scratched on the throat.
Danny Masterson (Nightshade) does well trying to open the coffin acting frusterated by it as well as him trying to remove a leech from his nose as he reacts well to the pain.

There is a brief breast shot of a woman that dracula is making love to while floating.

A couple people are stabbed with spikes.
Peoples necks are chewed off and lots of blood splattering too.
Bloodied bullet shots. A sliced off head of a black vampire and two vampiress' beheaded as well.
Van Helsing has a bloody stabbing of a sword through his neck.
A sharp piece of wood is stabbed through a vampiress' heart.

The music is also terrific compsed by horror film composer Marco Beltrami as his music is very mainstream sounding by having strong classical music with the horn playing along with some drumming sounds and the odd chanting. Some good screeching sounds too to top it all off.

We have a bitchin soundtrack which is a similar style to the Spawn soundtrack with artists like Powerman 5000, Disturbed, Slayer, System of a Down, Monster Magnet, Godhead, Linkin Park, Pantera, Static-X, (Hed)P.E., Taproot, Endo, Flybanger, Half Cocked and Saliva.

Simon Sheppard: What the hell happened in there?
Abraham Van Helsing: I told you to kill her!
Abraham Van Helsing: They can be killed by silver, by sunlight or by stakes. you must pierce their heart or behead them. they are nosfaratu, vampires.
Simon Sheppard: And you knew about this? And your alright with this?
Abraham Van Helsing: I had them destroyed irradicated. All but one. My secret in the abbey. He is what they stole
Simon Sheppard: Who?
Abraham Van Helsing: Dracula. Dracula, not myth, no ravings of a mad irish novelist, oh no. He is real I assure you
Simon Sheppard: This is the fucking twighlight zone

Solina: You don't build this kind of security without a gold mine to hide.

Dracula: We are so much more complicated than our names.

Simon Sheppard: NEVER... ever FUCK with an antiques dealer!

Dracula: I don't drink... coffee.

Marcus: [Simon produces a cross] Sorry sport. I'm an atheist.
Simon Sheppard: [a dagger pops out of the cross' base] God loves you anyway.

Solina: [to Simon] You Brits like to sweet-talk. You Brits like to romance, and all I wanna do is suck.

Lucy: You had him every night in your dreams and you didn't even share!

Dracula: You made the world in your image. Now I make it in mine.

Lucy: It's even better than chocolate.

Lucy: I was named after the "Peanuts" character.

Dracula: I will show you what I have never shown another.

Nightshade: I said I was sorry...

Dracula: Mary, you're afraid. Don't be.

Valerie Sharp: Can you see my face?
Camera Man: Yeah.
Valerie Sharp: Okay. Can you see my tits?

Solina: Well, Mr Van Helsing, haven't you been selfish?

Marcus: Better than money!

Dracula: Dignity, doctor.

Solina: Being chosen, it's like being born.

Valerie Sharp: I don't want to die.
Dracula: Then you never will.

Dracula: You cannot imagine what I've had to endure. I have felt the very wrath of God, chosen to suffer like no man before.

Mary: I am Mary Van Helsing. I am my father's daughter. And none shall take that away.

[Simon brandishes a Bible before the advancing Dracula]
Dracula: Propaganda.

Dracula: Everything I am is yours. And all you are is mine.

Detective Gautreaux: Solina, Dr. Seward tells me you believed to be a vampire. Now how does one become a vampire?
Solina: No, how does one become... a lover?
Detective Gautreaux: Well, I don't know.
Solina: [Groans] One is chosen.
Detective Gautreaux: Did you see that?
Dr. Seward: See what?
Solina: [sighs; Sultry voice] Would you like to be chosen, Mr. Detective? Are you waiting for a woman to choose you as a lover?
Detective Gautreaux: Are you getting this on tape?
Solina: [Yells] Look at me when I talking to you!
Detective Gautreaux: Um, Solina, you... you can't see me.
Solina: Of course I can.

Abraham Van Helsing: I swear to Jesus Christ...
Dracula: [interrupts] He doesn't care!

Dracula: You haven't been feeding her.

Simon Sheppard: [Translating Slavic Text on a Crossbow] All fear he who walks beneath the crown of Eternal Night.
Abraham Van Helsing: No, no, no it's not crown ... it's halo, beneath the Halo of Eternal Night
Simon Sheppard: Oh well, you see why the design never survived, look at how heavy it was compared to what they were using in England at the time.
Abraham Van Helsing: [talking about the crossbow in his hands] Ah, while the English made them for firing Arrow Shafts of wood, this was made for firing shafts of metal.... Silver

Dracula: You think you can teach me about betrayal?