Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rating: R
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt
On DVD: June 15, 2010
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Question: How many of you remember the original Wolfman movie, circa 1966?
I see a few hands... Well, I hate to date myself, so I will merely say that I was but a wee tot; not yet old enough to venture out for such a film. But, I have seen it since and we all must admit that it is a classic...
Well, Universal has gone and done it; yes, they've re-made The Wolfman into a CG extravaganza fit for today's movie fan; those expecting Boo-factor, blood and guts and lots of 'Wow-that-was-cool'. While the new version didn't knock my socks off, it was pretty entertaining...
The movie begins as a stage actor named Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro, Sin City) returns to his English home when he learns of his brother's grisly death. Estranged from his father (Anthony Hopkins, Dracula and Silence of the Lambs) for many years, being back at the aging estate is awkward for them both.
Upon his arrival, Lawrence learns just how little bro died; he was torn apart by an unknown and fanged beast. Well, being that it is 1891, superstition and fear is in high-gear in the nearby village; the simple townsfolk whispering of demons and gypsies. Determined to learn the truth, Lawrence delves deeper into the mystery, but when he is bitten by the creature, he learns that there are things far worse than death. For the full moon is coming and good ole Lawrence is not feeling quite like himself...
While watching The Wolfman, I kept thinking: "What with Anthony Hopkins, the full moon, moody atmosphere... Heck, this is the 1992 Dracula all over again!"
I swear it was the spittin' image of it, save for the whole wolf thing, of course! Even the musical score sounded the same. While I enjoyed both of these films, the similarities were startling.
At first, I thought Benicio Del Toro was an odd choice for the role of Hopkins' son; I mean he is clearly not an Englishman and hasn't the right accent for the role. But, as the film clips along, Mr. Del Toro's dark good looks make him all the more mysterious; especially as his character's behavior gets stranger. Naturally, Academy Award Winner, Anthony Hopkins, is always a pleasure to watch and he does a bang-up job in the role of the noble father.
Now, it may sound like I was poking fun at this film, but, when all is said and done, it was well worth seeing. Paul Corbould and his troop of merry men really pull out all the stops and give the viewer some dramatic special effects. The man-to-wolf change is eye-popping and, in my opinion, is the best one since An American Werewolf in London (1981). Another nice touch by the filmmakers was that they took the werewolf's looks back to 1966. Though highly improved upon, the creature looks more like a man than the family pet; it was refreshing to see.
All in all, The Wolfman is definitely worth seeing, but I would rent it first.
Overall Rating: 3 1/2
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