Es ampliamente elogiada por sus efectos visuales, especialmente por tener uno de los mejores diseños de Hombres Lobo en la historia del cine comercial.

En 2004, Hugh Jackman ya era conocido como Lobezno, pero Van Helsing le permitió soltar las garras de metal y empuñar armas steampunk. Su interpretación de Gabriel Van Helsing es el centro magnético de la cinta.

: The movie, with its blend of action and horror elements, has left a mark on pop culture by reimagining classic monsters in a modern context. It also inspired a short-lived animated series, "Van Helsing: Action Unleashed", which followed the adventures of Jackman’s character.

Upon release, Van Helsing earned mixed reviews. recorded a 24% approval rating, with critics calling it “loud, dumb, and overstuffed.” Roger Ebert gave it 1.5 stars, writing that the film “throws everything at the screen except the kitchen sink—then throws the sink.” Yet audiences were more forgiving. The film grossed $300 million worldwide, enough to turn a profit but below Universal’s expectations for a franchise starter.