Van Helsing: The London Assignment (2004)

"The London Assignment" is an animated short film that runs for roughly half an hour and came out almost the exact same time as the movie about the title character Van Helsing. Hugh Jackman also does the voice acting in this one here and there are a couple more familiar names such as Robbie Coltrane from the Harry Potter movies or Tara Strong who has been extremely prolific in voice acting for a long time now. Unfortunately, I was not impressed really by any of the aspects in this film. That includes the story, the characters and the animation. The only thing that director Sharon Bridgeman sort-of succeeded with was making this a fairly atmospheric watch and it was an interesting combination of the supernatural aspects and very traditional aspects history-wise such as Queen Victoria. But that's pretty much it. I would recommend this only to the most hardcore fans of Van Helsing. Everybody else does not need to see it.

When I heard that a anime prequel to Van Helsing was release I had to check it out.Van Helsing 2004 is one of my favorite films and this film was a good one as well. Van Helsing: The London Assignment is a prequel to the events of Van Helsing the movie where Dr.Jekyll/Mr.Hyde was the first villain of the film this one helps explain how they first met.Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Van Helsing in this anime prequel to the film.In this anime the story is that Van Helsing must investigate a series of murders where women have been drain of their life force. When Dr. Jekyll begins to make a formula to restore the youth of the Queen.The animators made sure to keep the film in the dark setting since the story plot is dark as well.They really took the time to make the shadow effect work when it was needed.The score is pretty good as well, each piece of music helps tells the story of the film. The voice acting helps the story as well which is very important in making a animation film.Also the DVD comes with a nice collection of bonus features like behind the scenes for both this film and the Van Helsing film itself along with behind the scenes of the game.So for a short film it is very good work with helping the story of Van Helsing.So all in all if you're a fan of anime or Van Helsing you'll enjoy this film.I give Van Helsing The London Assignment a 10 out of 10

In the same year that Stephen Sommers hyper animated movie burst into the cinema we also got this not quite so hyper actual animated prequel. The short story tells us what happened before Van Helsing arrived in Transylvania, his previous mission trying to capture Dr Jekyll in London...obviously.The plot for this is a bit far out if you ask me but I guess nothing is a surprise coming from Sommers. Van Helsing is investigating a very Jack the Ripper-esque affair where by people are being mysteriously murdered horribly and seemingly drained of their life force. Its nothing very original to be frank, at first I thought they really should of just used the Ripper as the villain its such an obvious copy. The thing is, Dr Jekyll is using this life force to make and keep his love...Queen Victoria, young and beautiful so they can be together. Yep Queen Victoria...as if right, but that's not all the story makes out that beneath Buckingham Palace there are some huge hellish fiery caves or catacombs where Dr Jekyll will live with his young Queen Vic, it looks like some kind of underground city you'd see in the old 80's cartoon Dungeons & Dragons. I know its just a prequel idea for an animation that will never see the light of day but it is suppose to be cannon and may have been made had the movie gone down better (dunno why it wasn't actually). But the plot is so dumb and feels like its been whipped up so fast just to get it out asap after the movie release.You only have to look at the DVD cover to see how poor it is, the artwork is lame and cheap looking, mind you the animation isn't much better. It really does look like an old children's cartoon that you'd watch on a Saturday morning, there is no flair, nothing quirky or unique about it, its just plain and average looking with really drab colours and layouts. On top of that the characters don't even resemble their movie character counterparts! Van Helsing is completely different looking facially and with straight hair, where as Wenham's character is now a young looking boy or someone in his early twenties. The only character accurately depicted is Mr Hyde who is spot on. Nothing wrong with that but only if they look good, these two heroes just look generic and boring.Basically the only reason they made this is because of the one line of dialog from the movie where Van Helsing says to Mr Hyde that he missed him in London (referring to gun shots). Mr Hyde then replies that he didn't miss, he actually hit him. So for some reason Sommers and co thought we needed to see some fast tracked back story about how Mr Hyde ended up getting shot by Van Helsing and the rest of that mission. Yeah OK not a bad idea if the mission was of any interest and not totally crap, oh and maybe if the animation was any good also. Just having the actual cast voice the characters in this doesn't mean it will be instantly worth it, the rest must be good too.4/10

Hi I'm Katie and I live in Hull. All I wanted to say was that I totally love van Hesling the film especially with Hugh Jackman in it. He is so fit and it just wouldn't be right without him in it. I have rated this film a ten because I just love it I have the film the book and the ps2 game. My bedroom is full of Hugh Jackman and van Helsing posters. You can't even see my walls. I am one of Hugh's best fan. And Anna out of the film is also great. I think she's really pretty and I wish I could meet them all. That would be fantastic. I can't go see them because I am only 13 and if I were an adult I would go all over just to see them. I love the film van Helsing I cant stop talking about it at school my friends get sick of me. My computer is full of it all u can see when you open my file is Hugh Jackman or Anna or sometimes both of them. At school on my computer as well I have loads of photos of him. I get more and more of them when I go on the Internet at school. That's only when we are allowed on it. I am totally mad about Hugh and I think nearly everybody in my family and my mates know as well. They say I am mad. Because they don't like him but then I just say that it's my life and nobody can change it. But they still go on about it at me saying that he's ugly and stuff so I just ignore them and say that I love him and it doesn't matter if they don't love him I do. But they say I'm mad and I am mad...about him. Nobody can change my feelings for him and nobody can put me off him either so it's going to be like this forever. But I am stopping talking about my self and talking about the film. I love it when he and Anna are together and he kisses her and she kisses him. And I like his voice in it too I think it makes him sound even sexier than he is now and he looks fit in long hair and leather suits and jackets. I just love the film if I named all the parts I like in the story a person who is reading this would be there all day and all night. But I love this film because of the man and the women but I also love this film because I love action romance horror and I love the people who are in it. But I also love the film because when things happen in the film when I want them to that is great too. But the ending is very sad and I will always remember that to. But she should have stayed alive I think then there could have been a van Helsing 2 out but with a different monster in it like the screaming women who's scream is so loud they kill a human. That would be good but if it did come out again it would have had to have Anna in it and the same person otherwise it wouldn't be right. Instead of Dracula. But all of the film is really good overall that is.but this is the bets film I ever saw because normally horrors are scary but I don't think this is a scary horror but that's OK because most girls like me like horrors like this.i think Hugh is a great man and actor in this but he is great anyway so it doesn't matter. He cant do anything wrong he just the best. And the same goes to Kate (Anna) she is beautiful and the best and a great actress Hugh and Kate make a good acting couple in the film. I am looking at Hugh on the computer now at his pictures on the internet and Anna they both look good in the film together it is just a great film with them to in. if they were not in it would really not be a film. If I have already said that just ignore I am saying stuff weird today for some strange reason. But I think the film is absolutely great when i was talking about how my friends go on at me my family does to they get on my nerves to my mum and dad do anyway saying take your posters off the walls you cant see them but I don't so I think my mum and dad have given up. But my sis goes on at me saying how could you love him he's a right ugly, Katie but I just ignore her she worse than my mates. But I do not listen to them when they talk to me in that subject like that. But the person that got me on to the film van Helsing is my English teacher because we watched the film loads of times in the class and I just started loving it the first time I saw it. Sir doesn't know about me liking him but he most probably gets to know tomorrow my friends cant keep secrets at all especially when its about love and girl stuff like that but if it s really private they wont say out. But they will this time.but when I was talking about the van Helsing 2 about how I make it up is because I write stories about things I imagine but when I go to bed that's what gives me ideas because when I sleep I dream and I get my ideas from my dreams and I have started writing a story about van Helsing 2 I think its going to be great. So I am giving it the rate of 10 which is Excellent!