Dracula 2000 Reviews

We're all so much more complicated than our names.

In the modern retelling of the Bram Stoker novel, Dracula 2000 presents to audiences a new look at the Dracula legend. Gone is the premise that the seductive, bloodthirsty monster was a centuries old Transylvanian prince; in his stead is a man with a connection to something...holier.
Mary Van Helsing (Waddell) hasn't seen her father, Abraham (Plummer) in years. In fact, he is living as an antiques dealer in London, where he has taken under his wing a young man, Simon Sheppard (Miller), who helps him acquire the items he desires. However, Abraham's secretary and assistant, Solina (Esposito), whom SImon has been dating for a few months, is planning to rob Abraham. Carfax Abbey is the storage place of some of Abraham's most prized possessions, and she believes that he is hiding something of great value there. She calls her boyfriend, Marcus (Epps), and his ragtag team of robbers, to infiltrate the vault. When they do so, all they find is an exquisite silver coffin. Two traps quickly dispatch two in their group, so Marcus, Solina, and their three remaining teammates blast a hole in the vault's concrete wall, taking the coffin with them. When Abraham discovers the theft, he is too late - the robbers are now ten thousand feet in the air. While one of the robbers, Nightshade (Masterson), tries in vain to get the coffin open, he accidentally slits his finger, causing some blood to drip on the coffin. He opens it eventually, only to reveal a shrivelled corpse in a mask. He discovers a cross set with rubies, but suddenly the corpse sits up and reveals a pair of sharp fangs. Dracula (Butler) has arisen. And he senses a strong connection between him and Mary; one which Abraham and Simon won't allow to be fully made.
Excellent film. I love the way the Dracula legend was remade, and all the explanations actually made sense. It tied everything about Dracula cleanly, thus leaving no loose strings. It helped that Gerard Butler was simply gorgeous and alluring as the famous bloodsucker. The cast weren't too shabby as well. Kudos to cameos by Shane West and Nathan Fillon. :D