"Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright."
Just as with it's classic predecessor, 1941's Universal production of The Wolf Man, director Joe Johnston's re-imagining is steeped in gothic folklore. Both films owe the legends and myths of the lycanthropic monster to legendary screenwriter Curt Siodmak. Siodmak originated virtually all of the modern mythology of the cinematic werewolf, from the full moon to silver bullets to the enduring gypsy phrase quoted above.
Revamping a Universal Monster
The Wolfman is a modern retelling with acknowledgment to the original. While it features plenty of dark imagery and wonderful makeup (courtesy of the great Rick Baker, "The Monster Maker"), it is also much more gory than the 1941 film and it's mixture of practical efx and CGI could be considered a curse as well as a blessing.
Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) returns to the family home for the first time in years, to help deal with an attack on his brother by what appears to have been some sort of animal. He's welcomed by his father (Anthony Hopkins, in a wonderfully appealing and sufficiently hammy performance) and his brother's fiancee (Emily Blunt). Soon after, he confronts the creature who killed his brother, and the results are disastrous for Lawrence.
The Good Stuff About The Wolfman
The film features some stunning cinematography by Shelly Johnson. The rich, dark tones of the film are as much stars of the film as del Toro and company. The editing, led by legendary editor Walter Murch, is nothing short of brilliant. The scenes with the Wolf Man running wild through the Moors are lively and tight.
The acting is mostly good. People who have been parroting the critical claim that del Toro phones his role in are largely mistaken. He's decent and affecting as Lawrence Talbot (though nowhere near as sympathetic or likable as his 1941 counterpart Lon Chaney Jr.). Hugo Weaving is very good as Abberline, the inspector. Rick Baker's practical makeup is very good. Del Toro's wolf makeup puts one in the mind of the great Jack Pierce's wonderful iconic Wolf Man. There are other nods to the Universal classics, all welcome and well done, for the most part.
Great score by Danny Elfman, as well. Lively and relevant.
The Bad Stuff About The Wolfman
While much of the story moves along at a nice speed, there are some slow moments that perhaps linger a little. This is a very small quibble with the film. Some of the CGI is much too noticeable, particularly a couple of cartoonish transformation scenes
The Wolfman appears to be inconsistent in speed, at times moving much too quickly to get the feeling that the creature has any sort of real mass. There are also a couple of inconsistencies within the story itself.
None of this ruins the film. It stays pretty much exciting and watchable throughout. Overall, it's a gothic, kinda silly, fun retelling of a classic story. The 1941 film is in no danger of being replaced in the annals of history, but you could do a lot worse with your eight bucks than to sit in a dark theater and watch this saga of the children of the night unfold.
Paul Counelis - I have written for many years on many subjects, my favorite being the horror culture genre. Some of the publications that I've written ...
Join the Conversation