In that adaptation, unfortunately Van Helsing didn't get that much to do. He's seen in bed at the start, wakes up, and shrieks because a vampire is in his bedroom. It cuts to something else, and you don't see him again for the rest of the film. At least not until he's discovered locked in someone's basement.

In the extremely limited amount of time he had on screen, Suchet did the best he could as Van Helsing. He probably had less than 20 minutes.