Dracula 2000 (2000)

14% of critics liked it
(64 reviews)
47% of users liked it
(67,375 ratings)

As a director, Wes Craven has been able to infuse his horror movies with humor and some smart, often genuinely creepy, thrills, even on his lowest-budgeted films. As a producer of horror movies, well, his record has been spotty at best. Craven tapped his longtime editor Patrick Lussier to direct… More As a director, Wes Craven has been able to infuse his horror movies with humor and some smart, often genuinely creepy, thrills, even on his lowest-budgeted films. As a producer of horror movies, well, his record has been spotty at best. Craven tapped his longtime editor Patrick Lussier to direct Dracula 2000, and the movie ends up with all the good and bad of "a Wes Craven production." A modern-day update of the Dracula legend, the script has some genuinely good ideas. Christopher Plummer (The Insider) takes a relatively juicy role as Van Helsing, owner of an antiques shop specializing in ancient weapons. He takes exception to how his namesake was portrayed in Bram Stoker's classic novel, which he's more than happy to tell his assistant (Jonny Lee Miller, "Sick Boy" from Trainspotting) without telling him the whole story. When Omar Epps leads a band of high-tech criminals to break into Van Helsing's high security vault (thinking that with so much security there's got to be something extremely valuable in there), what they end up stealing is the body of Dracula, who of course awakens from his slumber. When the story shifts to New Orleans, where Van Helsing's estranged daughter is working for the local Virgin Megastore (here metaphor is replaced by product placement), Dracula is drawn to her. The undead start to multiply, and the vampire hunt resumes. Another excellent idea deals with a new origin to Dracula, flashing back to biblical times to explain his aversion to silver and crosses. But there is a downside. Under the inept direction of Lussier the movie is never scary, inspiring instead an occasional feeling of pity for the actors. Overall, this a vampire movie for the mind, not the heart. --Andy Spletzer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Patrick Lussier
Written By: Joel Soisson
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Dec 22, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Jul 3, 2001
Studio: Dimension Films

Critic Reviews

Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Mary, a descendant of the prototypical vampire slayer, works at a Virgin megastore in New Orleans, and the gratuitous use of the city during Mardi Gras is the least of this movie's unoriginal sins.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Dracula may stay undead in the new millennium, but there's not a sign of life -- oh, that bloodless acting -- in this sorry mess.
Cody Clark, Mr. Showbiz
Even true believers will have a hard time sinking their fangs into this thoroughly perfunctory affair.
Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune
Wilts when compared in the light with other Dracula films.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
A perfect example of the kind of rigidly conventional vampire movie that wearies contemporary horror buffs.
Joe Leydon, Variety
The slapdash pic appears to be the work of folks who made things up as they went along.
Ellen MacKay, Common Sense Media
Too scary, too gory, too gross.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Without a single scare to its credit nor a particularly inspired storyline, this film fails to justify its existence.
, Film4
While the result certainly doesn't suck, it does lack any real bite.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
The use of Craven's name in the title is a cheesy marketing ploy and the secret to the fanged suitor's aversion to all things Christian is an even cheesier hoot.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
We're talking 5,940 seconds better spent doing anything else under the sun, including but not limited to pulling out one's toenails one by one.
, Time Out
One half-expects a sexually subversive, blood-soaked gay carnival. Instead, Simon makes the effete Dracula (Butler) suck on some abuse.
Scott Nash, Three Movie Buffs
[It] will be consigned to the bin with all the other Dracula rejects.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
There's enough holes in the plot to drive a 40-foot hearse through.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
There are precious few good performances in this movie, and it would be really great if the title character were one of them.
Ron Wells, Film Threat
The filmmakers were stuck with a script containing good ideas poorly executed.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
While not a truly terrible vampire movie like The Forsaken, Dracula 2000 could have been so much more.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Director Patrick Lussier has a keen eye for color and knows how to compose a great-looking shot; unfortunately, Lussier also co-wrote and edited the film, effectively undermining his talent.
Dwayne E. Leslie, Boxoffice Magazine
The film concentrates more on the gore and less on fright and suspense.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...little here we haven't seen before, a mere rehash.

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

A hip, stylish, thrilling and exhilarating re-imaging of the classic tale told in the twenty first century. A smart, funny and action-packed horror flick with brains as well as teeth. It's one of the best vampire films involving Dracula since Frances Ford Coppala's film.… More
A hip, stylish, thrilling and exhilarating re-imaging of the classic tale told in the twenty first century. A smart, funny and action-packed horror flick with brains as well as teeth. It's one of the best vampire films involving Dracula since Frances Ford Coppala's film. It's one frequently cool thrill-ride that delivers the goods. A great cast. Christopher Plummer is brilliant, Johnny Lee Miller is terrific. Gerard butler is excellent, he brings a great presence and is thrilling in the role of the iconic character.
Jason S

Not really that good and you knew what was happening every step of the way. There was a good twist on the origin of Dracula that I really liked but the film was pretty one note. It's the action movie version of Dracula.
Tsubaki S

The worst Dracula adaptation to film ever made, and boy have there been a lot of movies about Dracula. So do the math about how many shitty past adaptations this thing is beating.
Curtis L

lame.
Cindy I

An updated telling of the original Dracula story. Interesting to see how old elements (Dracula carried from Transylvania to England on a ship) are made new (the same trip made on a plane). Not a great movie, but OK. I liked the explanation (not part of the original story) of how… More
An updated telling of the original Dracula story. Interesting to see how old elements (Dracula carried from Transylvania to England on a ship) are made new (the same trip made on a plane). Not a great movie, but OK. I liked the explanation (not part of the original story) of how Dracula became what he is.
Dr Blood

Dracula was played quite well but not very scarily by Gerald Butler. In fact none of it was very scary at all which is a major problem for a "horror" movie! Dracula just isn't frightening anymore. Vampires are so comic book now that I think the chances of there ever… More
Dracula was played quite well but not very scarily by Gerald Butler. In fact none of it was very scary at all which is a major problem for a "horror" movie! Dracula just isn't frightening anymore. Vampires are so comic book now that I think the chances of there ever being a really scary vampire film ever again are quite slim ...so it wasn't all the director's fault.
vieras e

I wasn't too impressed when I saw this the first time, but it felt a little better second time around. I loved the fresh new take on the old Dracula myth. Gerard Butler makes a very good Dracula with his intense, mesmerising stare. Everything else was still a bit lacking.
Kylie B

Mmm Gerard Butler. And the film is ok too.
Dean !

Not seen this for a long time, but from what I remember it wasn't very good.
Antony S

A band of thieves burglarise the property of what they know to be a descendent of Abraham van Helsing. His only real treasure seems to be in the shape of a near-impenetrable coffin. And they all seem surpised when Dracula emerges from it.... With that kind of premise, you kinda know… More
A band of thieves burglarise the property of what they know to be a descendent of Abraham van Helsing. His only real treasure seems to be in the shape of a near-impenetrable coffin. And they all seem surpised when Dracula emerges from it.... With that kind of premise, you kinda know what you're getting from Dracula 2000. At least this is the kind of cheesy straight-to-video nonsense that KNOWS it is cheesy straight-to-video nonsense. Though the premise of the van Helsing line keeping watch over the Prince of Darkness for centuries is a good one, the narrrative thrust is lost under the B-movie hallmarks: dire acting, a no-prescence lead, dodgy effects, tits and a crap modern metal soundtrack (with the exception of Slayer's 'Bloodline'). The film isn't an out-and-out washout, offering one or two neat visuals (the billowing red silk curtains, the shot that explodes the wolf into a cloud of bats), but ultimately there are no surpises here. Esposito is of course effortlessly sexy.
Luke B

A little bit of camp is put in this update of Dracula. Never takes itself too seriously and triumphs in comedy and action, but is a bit light on horror.
Emily A

A guilty pleasure. Gerard Butler is wicked as Dracula and it's a pleasure watching Vitamin C get killed. I just wish Justine Waddell was less of a squeaking gerbil.
Andreia C

sucked big time
Erin C

I can't believe all the high ratings others gave this movie. It was absolutely awful. I love vampire movies, but this one was just bad. Not even the fact that Gerard Butler (yum) was in it could save this movie. I couldn't wait for it to end.
Jason R

Some of the acting was horrible, but the story was absolutley fantastic! The surprise reveal at the end pertaining to Dracula's origin was a very cool idea, and should have been worked more into the movie because that alone was one of the only reasons I liked this movie.
Laurence C

One of the biggest loads of crap ever unleashed by Wes Craven in his producing chair. Production values are doubtlessly high, but the film sure looks stagey and cheap as hell. Featuring not a single convincing performance (even Butler is mind-bendingly terrible as Dracula himself),… More
One of the biggest loads of crap ever unleashed by Wes Craven in his producing chair. Production values are doubtlessly high, but the film sure looks stagey and cheap as hell. Featuring not a single convincing performance (even Butler is mind-bendingly terrible as Dracula himself), shlocky SFX work and an annoyingly self-concious screenplay that rapes Bram Stoker's masterpiece with great disinterest, Dracula 2000 is one of the shittiest chunks of gothic horror ever put to film. It could, however, provide a good laugh if it aired on TV.
Marion R

An Interesting back story, an aspect which I liked. Plus there is a pale Gerard Butler as Dracula, looking very hot. It was fun.
Nicky M

Gerard Butler plays a good vamp and I enjoyed the use of the 3 maidens of Dracula even in this updated version. Overall though, the corniness permeates through and I both like and loathe the twist so I am a bit conflicted here lol.
FanGirl B

I went to see it the first time because Jonny Lee Miller was in it. Ever time after that was because of Gerard Butler. And the Captain (Nathan Fillion) is in it too! Over all a decent vampire filx all on its own.

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Dracula 2000 (2000)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

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