Movie Review: The Wolfman

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Synopsis: Lawrence Talbot is a haunted nobleman lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother...and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself.

Lawrence Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate.

As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Now, if he has any chance at ending the slaughter and protecting the woman he has grown to love, Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor. But as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself...one he never imagined existed.

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving
Directed by: Joe Johnston
U.S. Rating: R

Director Joe Johnston worked on an amazing remake of the classic The Wolfman. He tried to keep the characters, story, period in history and essence offered in this classic from 1941. For this reason, it is not a reboot, sequel or prequel. He didn't try to adapt the story or change the period in history and, everyone agrees that it was the best decision, since it helped to keep the beauty of this film.

I'm honest, I haven't watched this classic from 1941, but I'm so looking forward to watch it! All the comments and information written and offered about this original film express that it is such an amazing horror film.

The Wolfman, for those who haven't watched the original classic from 1941, tells the story of Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), a well-known actor from London who was raised in the U.S. by his aunt. When he gets a letter from his brother's fiancee, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), letting him know that his brother has been missing for two weeks, he decides to go back to London and find who or what killed his brother.

His search leads him to the gypsies. He tries to find some answers about a horrible attack suffered by a group of men, who were all mutilated. He visits this group and tries to find the relationship or business between his brother and this group of people. While he's trying to find answers, the group is attacked by this fast and deadly mysterious creature. Soon, Lawrence will find himself chasing this creature in the middle of the night, being attacked and injured by this creature.

Lawrence is taken back to his father's house (Anthony Hopkins), who has immediately called the doctor and prepared everything to attend and take care of his son. Gwen takes care of him while he heals in such an accelerated and unusual way. They notice that a sense of attraction is growning in their hearts while he's recovering of these injuries and she takes care of him.

Lawrence starts realizing what happened to him and how it will affect the rest of his life. This information is spread among all the population and he's immediately considered a threat to everyone, but his father protects him from the townsfolk and reveals some secrets kept away from Lawrence and the rest of the world.

The nights before the full moon, Lawrence notices his father walking out to a crypt right next to their home. He decides to follow him and finds some secrets, while his father locks himself in this crypt and leaves Lawrence free. Lawrence soon faces his new reality, when he becomes a furious and dangerous creature who has attacked some people and slaughtered every single animal found on his way. A Scotland Yard inspector arrives to town to investigate the deaths, while all the leads take him to Lawrence and his unnatural healing after being attacked by the beast. He is arrested and placed in a mental institution while the doctors try to get some details about his abnormal physical conditions. His father visits him while he's in prison and reveals him that he's a wolf man too, and he was who killed his mother and brother.

He swears revenge and wants to kill his father. He's taken into a court of scholars and they try to demonstrate that he wouldn't turn into a beast on that night, when the full moon would come out. Lawrence tries to warn them that he would kill them all. As said, when the full moon came out, he transformed into the wolf man, killing everyone and escaped from his imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Gwen meets with Maleva (a Gypsy) where she tries to find a way to lift Lawrence's curse. Both, Lawrence and Gwen revealed their feelings for each other recently and that's her motivation to help and save him from his curse.

Inspector Francis Aberline (Hugo Weaving) follows him and tries to hunt him down, but he escapes. Lawrence arrives at his father's house, who is already waiting for him. Both turn into wolf men and start fighting each other to death. Lawrence kills his father ripping his head off. Gwen runs into the forest, only to be chased down by Lawrence, the Wolfman.

Just as Lawrence is about to attack, she pleads for him to stop, bringing out the slightest of human emotions left in him. But when he hears the nearby mob, he violently panics, losing his restraint. Gwen then shoots Lawrence with a silver bullet and kills him. Before he dies he turns back into a human and spends his last moments with Gwen. The mob arrive and they see Aberline injured, being attacked by the Wolfman just before he's killed. Gwen's parting words are heard as Talbot Manor appears in flames and a wolf's howl is heard, presumably from Aberline.

The Wolfman was an extremely entertaining film, a little bit scary, remaking an amazing plot and the best of all, supported by such a unique and extremely professional cast. Totally recommended!

What did I like from this movie?

1. The sound was more than espectacular! Especially on those scary moments and scenes when the Wolfman attacked his victims
2. The cast was simply amazing
3. Director Joe Johnson made such an amazing work. I'll give even more credits after watching the original film and compare both movies
4. The CGI effects, simply amazing

What did I dislike from this movie?

1. I believe that something was missing or not delivered by Director Joe Johnson and Benicio Del Toro. I believe that Lawrence Talbot should have tried to deliver more emotions and drama about his affliction and pain due to his situation and curse. It didn't affect the overall quality. Other than that... it was such an amazing film

I would rate this movie with a 4/5


What did you like or dislike from this movie? What would you rate this movie?


Enjoy it!... Watch it!

0 comments

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Recent Tweets

Follow 35mmReviews on Twitter