(Reviewed by Crazy Ralph) - Let me start off by saying that "Dracula 3000: Infinite Darkness" has nothing to do with the "Dracula 2000" series, which are far more superior films then this recent shit-fest set in space. This review contains major spoilers, but this film is far from a gem, so it doesn't really matter.

I've grown fond of direct to video horror movies since "Ginger Snaps", which was gruesome fun and "Dog Soldiers" which kicked my ass to the point where I re-watched it for a second time directly after the film itself ended and the credits began to roll.

Of course, then there is the shit films too, like "Dark Wolf" with Kane Hodder as a terminator-like Lycanthrope, I was very dissapointed, and now this movie.

"Dracula 3000" is about a space crew who finds the Demeter, a space ship lost for 50 years ( Anyone else find that too close to "Event Horizon"?) The Ship is led by Captain Abraham Van Helsing (Casper Van Dien), and has a crew of six people that includes 187(Coolio) and Arura (Erika Eleniak). Once aboard they find a rotting corpse and a shit load of coffins, 187 is a stoner who decides to open all of the coffins and awakens Dracula, and Arura turns out to be an andriod ("Alien" anyone?)

At first it seems promicing, opening credits that don't look direct to video quality and three characters from Bram Stokers novel (Van Helsing, Arthur Holmwood, Mina Murray)and an alright concept, How neat would it be to see the Dracula story in space? I think it would be pretty cool.

I've always liked Casper Van Dein, I think he is a good actor and I usually enjoy the movies he is in ("Starship Troopers", "Modern Vampires") although his acting here isn't that great at times.

Arthur Holmwood, aka the professor, a man in a wheelchair ("X-Men" also has a man they call the Professor who is also in a wheelchair, must be a coincedence...) is probally one of the worst characters in this film, he is a whiney man, and obviously the guy can't act.

Mina Murray is also a waste here. The actress proves she can't act from the opening scene and often says "I Have a Bad feeling about this" (Hey, that's a "Star Wars" line damnit!)

I don't like comparing some movies to others, but in this case I had no choice, The movie is full of bad plot devises and Diouloge. Dracula, which was more modeled off the Bela Legosi version, is one of the worst things about this movie, his arguments are not convincing, and he really has no point in the film.

It also has one of the most shitty endings I've ever seen on film and makes me wonder why i even bother renting this movie, i got more satisfaction out of Ed Wood Jr's "Plan 9 From Outer Space" then this shit-fest of a movie, the only reason why i gave it 2 stars is because there were a few interesting ideas involved, like when Captain Van Helsing finds out that the Van Helsings have fought Dracula before, and other things that i may have mentioned above, like the credits and how there were characters form the original novel, which ain't that bad.

Rent and Laugh my friends, Rent and laugh.