The Wolfman ( 2010 )

Directed by: Joe Johnston, Starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt

To be honest, I was prepared to rip this and director Joe Johnston and go ape shit, I'm not a big fan of remakes or improved coke. Give me the classic, thank you very much. If it's not broken, why fix it, especially the Wolfman. It's just a baby being the youngest of the famous Universal monster flicks, being concieved in 1941. The movie begins with the studio's logo filling the screen , imagine my surprise when it was the universal logo from the 1930's/ 40's and in beautiful black and white. I was getting in the mood for a good old fashioned horror film.

A very panic stricken and winded young man who is obviously being chased is the opening scene for The Wolfman. Under the light illuminating from a full moon the young man is brutally attacked and killed by some sort of monster.
When we are introduced to Lawrence Talbot ( Del Toro ) he is performing a scene from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. He is in London for a broadway engagement,when he receives a visit from his brother's fiancee Gwen ( Blunt ).She pleads him to come home to help locate his brother Ben who has gone missing.There has been mysterious deaths at the hands of some sort of beast and she is concerned for Ben's safety.
Travelling to Blackmoor ( his childhood town )Lawrence shares his train compartment with an elderly gentleman.After finding out Lawrence's destination the old fart offers his silver tipped walking stick to him. Does he know something that we don't? Lawrence refuses the gift but ends up with it anyways when the old coot leaves it behind and quickly disappears.
With his arrival to Blackmoor,he is greeted by his father John Talbot ( Hopkins ) Lawrence learns of the death of his brother Ben and is now determined to find who or what has killed his brother. He visits a gypsy camp after discovering Ben was dealing with them. A group of men are also at the camp determined that the gypsies are behind the killings and want to confiscate their dancing bear. When out of no where the camp is visciously attacked, the camera does not shy away. The gore and special effects look quite impressive as limbs, fingers and other body parts go missing.Lawrence is also a victim of the beast, suffering from a wound which an old gypsy woman tends to and then leaves him to his fate. Lawrence is now cursed to live the rest of his life as a werewolf.
The Wolfman takes place in 1891, Victorian England. The wardrobe, settings, and buildings all look authentic. The overall look of the film is beautiful, the scenery is visually stunning . Talbot Hall sits among the English country side and looks magnificent. All the sets are majestic and built in a grand style not seen since Universal horror pictures of the 1930's. The illusion was one of creating great heights, and it also works here.Staircases, auditoriums, castles and laboratories all look massive.
Director Joe Johnston,I believe did an excellent job in updating the telling of a beloved classic. I was concerned when it was announced he would be taking over the helm of The Wolfman's ship. I was not impressed with Jumanji and lost interest in it quickly, the CGI effects also turned me off. Jurassic Park III although fared better, I still wasn't convinced if Mr. Johnston was capable of such an undertaking. Except for the lack of the pentagram, the film makers have been faithful to the lore established by the original 1941 script written by Curt Siodmak.
The use of transitions, dissolves and time lapse photography were all used to great effect by the director. I liked the way the poem from the original movie was incorporated into this one "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." We see a carving of the verse and a full moon on a tombstone as it is being read, the marble moon dissolves into the real one, a nice touch.
Benecio Del Toro as Lawrence Talbot brought the character to life. Lon Chaney Jr. will always be the Wolfman in my books, but his acting can be a little wooden.Del Toro brought pity and apathy to his character. You cannot help , but feel sorry for the shitty hand of fate that has been dealt to him. Fate has a funny way of altering your life and you can almost see Talbot asking himself," What if ?..What if ?.." I know some people who thought Del Toro looked bored in this picture, I personally think it's his look of big ,dark eyes and heavy eyelids which suited this character . Lawrence has been weighed down with some excess baggage, he has issues with his father, who sent him to an insane asylum. Believes his mother committed suicide when he was a boy.Talbot has inner demons to battle with, and to top it all off,he now has the full moon fever to deal with.
Anthony Hopkins has been playing the part of the antagonist in his last couple of roles ( Hannibal the Cannibal) being the most famous. Being the actor that he is , he could probably play this part in his sleep, but he still gives a fine performance and gives the character of John Talbot an aura of mystery.
I don't want to down play Emily Blunt's efforts as the distressed fiancee, but I feel this character could have been handled by any number of fine actresses.
Also worth mentioning the use of fog and rolling mists was present to such an extent , it could be considered a minor character. Hugo Weaving appears as inspector Abberline from Scotland Yard.Johnny Depp played the same character in the film From Hell, I suggest you check that one out as well.
The first transformation scene of Talbot to wolf reminded me very much of the one from An American Werewolf in London.Again Rick Baker's make up.Down on his haunches, you can almost feel the pain Talbot experiences as we hear cartilage and bone creaking and cracking as they break to take on their new shape. Once transformed Talbot shows no mercy, throats are ripped open,limbs and heads are lopped off by his powerful claws. Back to his human form, Talbot is captured and returned to his childhood nightmare, Lambeth asylum. Strapped to a chair and lowered into ice water, electrocuted and other types of treatment ( read torture ) is endured by Talbot in this hell hole. His father has come to pay him a visit, together with Lawrence we discover the skeletons that his father has been hiding in his closet. Adding a new twist to the retelling of this classic.Danny Elfman whose scores are usually sounding whimsical in Tim Burton's productions but sounding ominous here gives a superb performance enhancing the action sequences and the overall tone of the film. also heightening the jump scares, which there are many. Elfman plays hommage to Coppola's Dracula score here.
A favorite scene of mine happens when Inspector Abberline believes Talbot to be hiding inside an antique shop. As he is searching the store he sees a pair of legs behind a full length mirror,believing Talbot is behind the piece of furniture. We can see the inspector's reflecting image as he shoots out the glass. With the broken shards falling to the floor we see a statue of a devil standing there. Is this an omen of what is to come?
The final confrontation between father and son is one of viscious brutality as the two clash head to head. Gwen who has seeked help from the old gypsy woman now knows what to do to put an end to Lawrence's dreaded curse.The Inspector watches from a distant as he ponders his own fate, he has also been bitten by Talbot
My Thought:You know that feeling you get when your wife wants to drag you to her office Christmas party and you don't want to go because it's going to be boring, stupid and you don't know anyone, but you end up going anyways. Then it turns out you have a better time than you should, that's how I felt about this movie.
My Rating: 4 Go Go Girls out of 5 ( would of been more, but we only got to see a bare back and a small glimpse of boob ).