The Wolfman: Movie Review

The Wolfman: Movie Review

Rating: 7/10
Cast: Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving
Director: Joe Johnston
In 1880s London, Lawrence Talbot (del Toro) is summoned to the family home after the disappearance of his brother Ben.
Talbot is reunited with his father (Anthony Hopkins) - something that he hadn't planned on after fleeing domestic life after the death of his mother. After being called back by Ben's wife Gwen (Emily Blunt), the hunt soon turns to a funeral after the discovery of Ben's mutilated body.
Talbot begins an investigation into the brutal slaying of his brother - and even Scotland Yard's finest (including Hugo Weaving) are called in. But as Talbot digs deeper into claims an animal killed his brother, he's drawn into a dark world and finds himself facing his deepest fears.
The Wolfman is a straight forward remake of the 1941 film - complete with gory blood letting moments and some spine chilling scenes.
And quite frankly after the recent Twilight shenanigans of the wolves with their rippling abs and easy transformation, it's refreshing to see a Wolfman which is primal and angry. Rick Baker's creature work is pretty impressive - and the time-lapse photography when del Toro changes gives the whole thing a spooky dark feeling.
Del Toro himself, apparently a fan of the original film, is perfectly cast in this - his knack of carrying off a troubled character works wonders in Talbot as he questions his own sanity and the reality around him - by keeping Talbot away from too much emotion, Del Toro's created the perfect Gothic horror.
Emily Blunt acquits herself well and provides really the only humanity on display - although she feels a little wasted in the role; Hugo Weaving's glowering and deadpan Aberline has some great lines - but it's Anthony Hopkins who veers a little too close to Hammer horror hamminess which threatens to derail the proceedings. Fortunately though he's reigned in and just about manages to carry it off.
There's a moody malevolence to this Wolfman - it's dark all throughout blending a Gothic atmosphere with some edge of the seat shocks and plenty of gore.
Granted, you could argue this has been done before (it is a remake after all) and that you know exactly what's coming (one scene with Talbot inside an asylum examination room full of doctors as the full moon rises is one example) but it's how these scenes play out that is to be commended.
There are some disappointments though - the ending feels a little rushed and a bit of a mess; almost as if the writers weren't sure how to end the whole film. But with some great initial scenes when the Wolfman attacks and some horror gore, the cons are balanced nicely with the pros.

All in all, it's great to see an old school horror remake like this on the big screen; it doesn't rely too much on FX trickery and plays on your fears of what's out there in the dark- there's a real menace and Gothic horror to this Wolfman which deserves 90 minutes of your time.