'The Wolfman' coughs up a fur ball

Review by Matt Crouch

*What you are about to read is a cinematic review. Each movie is critiqued based on its rating-pending (PG or R), Genre (Comedy or Thriller), the acting, the score, the plot, and the overall quality of the movie. Hence, just because there are explosions, blood, or you think George Clooney/Megan Fox is "hot" does not mean it's a good film. Or does it. ... You be the judge.*

‘The Wolfman' (2010)

CAST

Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik

Director:  Joe Johnston - "Hidalgo," "October Sky," "Jurassic Park 3" "Jumanji"

Written by: Andrew Kevin Walker - "Sleepy Hollow," "8MM," "Se7en"

STORYBOARD

Lawrence Talbot's (Del Toro) childhood ended the night his mother died. His father (Hopkins) sent him from the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor to an insane asylum, and then he goes to America to pursue his acting career. When his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe (Blunt), tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns to his father's estate to learn that his brother's mauled body has been found. Reunited with his estranged father, Lawrence sets out to find his brother's killer ... and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Someone or something with brute strength and insatiable blood lust has been killing the villagers, and a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector (Weaving) comes to investigate the murders.

THE DISPOSITION

This is where some of you might start to hate me. ...

I don't mind horror movies.  I like some; I enjoy thrillers better, but I don't mind "horror" movies. But the problem that usually occurs with most horror genres is one of two scenarios:

1.    The director cares so much about how much blood and missing body parts there are that the plot becomes utterly horrible. Sometimes so bad that it makes "Aquamarine" look like an interesting catch. Or ...

2.    The film starts out interesting and incredibly suspenseful, but when the plot comes out, the effects and everything else about the movie just sucks.

And in the case of "The Wolfman" it's scenario two. The film actually starts out suspenseful and catches you off guard a little bit. It was interesting seeing Del Toro play a role as the good European who is trying to save his family. And Hopkins does what he always does: give you weird looks and the creeps like he's going to kill something or eat his children. But it just epically fails when Del Toro turns into the beast (You should know better if you were just "spoiled"). The beast in the beginning was fast, agile, popped out of nowhere, and acted ferocious and very "haunting." Then this puppy dog shows up with big claws and I feel worse for him then I do afraid.

The suspense and "horror" completely leaves the entire film and the entire mood is completely changed.  And the effects even changed! Why on earth would you change the frightening effects of the main killer? Then they have some wolf vs. wolf fighting scene, which you knew was coming, but it looks like two "Wile Coyotes" drooling and punching each other. 

Overall, the acting was pretty decent, and so was the writing. But it all went terrible when it seemed like they just stopped caring about the suspense.

 "I LOVED IT!!"

If you always dreamed of "Teen Wolf" (Michael J. Fox) going from PG to R.

1.5 out of 5 stars