Dracula 2000
Too scary, too gory, too gross.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that preteens and young teens may want to watch this movie at a slumber party, but the content is too scary and sexual for most. Parents should know that multiple characters are stalked and murdered, and rise again as vampires. A chase into a graveyard lands the main character in an occupied casket. We see a boat littered with bloodied corpses. We're also treated to two impalements by iron spike, innumerable murders by severed jugular, a hanging, extremely rough hand-to-hand combat, and a beheading. Vampires are executed with silver compound bows and a silver shotgun that fires extremely large bullets.
Community Reviews
Beware of nudity
Report this review
Very mediocre film best suited for the most squeamish.
Report this review
What's the Story?
Kept alive in Carfax Abbey by Van Helsing (Christopher Plummer), Count Dracula (Gerard Butler) survives to the present day. When thieves try to kidnap him, Dracula runs and ends up in New Orleans, home to Mary Van Helsing (Justine Waddell). It's up to Mary to stop Dracula.
Is It Any Good?
Those best served by this tired addition to the vampire film subgenre are older teens looking for a gore fest, and not Dracula fans. Because the movie devotes little time to Van Helsing before unceremoniously killing him off, few of the vampire's atypical habits are explained. This Dracula doesn't seem very concerned about sunlight, and his aversion to Christian paraphernalia is alluded to, but barely demonstrated. What is more, silver is to him as kryptonite is to Superman, and yet, as every disciple of classic horror knows, it's werewolves who can't survive a silver bullet. The breaks from tradition are explained somewhat in the final third of the movie when, aided by Simon, Mary figures out that Dracula has been around since the dawn of the Christian age. The vampire has played a rather large role in the Gospels, as it happens. This revelation, awkwardly tacked on to a low-grade slasher movie, becomes particularly offensive when Mary is left to convert Dracula to an attitude of proper Christian penitence in order to save herself (and her fellow ingénues of Louisiana).
Like John Carpenter's Vampires, DRACULA 2000 seems to believe it is superior to the average horror movie because of the distinction executive producer Wes Craven provides. Don't be fooled. This is a predictable movie whose main concerns are sex and gore, neither of which is served up with much inventiveness or gusto.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this movie compares with other vampire movies. In general, how does the media depict vampires and the legends that surround them?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 4, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: February 4, 2002
- Cast: Gerard Butler, Jennifer Esposito, Jonny Lee Miller
- Director: Patrick Lussier
- Studio: Dimension
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 99 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence/gore, language and some sexuality
- Last updated: February 26, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
-
Interview with the Vampire
Entertaining but gruesomely gory vampire tale.
-
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Teen vampire series has female role model; sex, violence.
-
The Vampire Diaries
Blood, violence are the real draw in angsty vampire drama.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate