The Wolfman
This movie was alright. If you haven't seen the original Wolfman, then you would probably really enjoy this. As for me, I've seen the original Wolfman, but it was so long ago, that this seemed like a new movie to me. Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins were pretty good in this, so if you like those two, you'd probably like this movie a good deal. This new Wolfman looks and feels very much like the original, and when I say "looks" I mean that they ripped the original visual concept of the Wolfman straight from the jaws of the beast; there is no difference between the way the old Wolfman looks and the new Wolfman. Really. Put them side-by-side and they could be twins.
This movie was alright. If you haven't seen the original Wolfman, then you would probably really enjoy this. As for me, I've seen the original Wolfman, but it was so long ago, that this seemed like a new movie to me. Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins were pretty good in this, so if you like those two, you'd probably like this movie a good deal. This new Wolfman looks and feels very much like the original, and when I say "looks" I mean that they ripped the original visual concept of the Wolfman straight from the jaws of the beast; there is no difference between the way the old Wolfman looks and the new Wolfman. Really. Put them side-by-side and they could be twins.
Now... On to the review!
Visual: 7 - Eh, it looked okay. I mean, there's only so much that you can do with visual effects, but the man-to-wolf transitions were a tiny bit on the hokey side. Then again, I've never seen a truly believable man-to-wolf transition in a movie, so I guess that even though we could make blue cat-people (James Cameron's Avatar) look believable, we still have a ways to go with classic monsters. Other than that, the visuals were pretty standard; creepy moonlit forests, multi-colored gypsy camps, and creepy, cob-webbed mansions are the standard for a werewolf movie, right?
Acting: 9 - The acting was pretty good. Benicio Del Toro's acting was terrific, as he made it totally believable that he was a deranged man bitten by a werewolf. Anthony Hopkins was sub-par, because while he delivered his lines well and faithfully, he still made it sound hokey. I don't know if this movie was going for serious or a bit of a jab at classic horror movies, but he actually sounded like he MEANT to sound fake. Nice accent, though.
Story/Backstory: 10 - They actually told you what the hell was going on! This is GREAT! I love movies like this. I don't have to ask questions because they're already answered for you! You end up finding out who the original werewolf is, how HE was bitten, and you also find out a lot about Benicio Del Toro's character, his likes, his hobbies... It's great. There are no questions about the story of this movie!
Soundtrack: 10 - HELLO! DANNY ELFMAN! He's the best of the best-- or, at least AMONG the best of the best. He always manages to capture the moment and the feeling of a scene (or movie); you get the panic of change or of the chase, you get the confusion and the "Oh, shit, something's about the happen" feeling, too. It's great, definitely a great score.
Character/Character Devlopment: 9 - There's decent character development, if you don't count the development of fur and longer teeth in Del Toro's character, but you do get a bit of insight on why things are said or done and, at the end of the movie, the characters tie everything together. Some of the roles seems a little less needed, but there's always an explanation for things, which is good.
Overall: 9 - This is a great late-night flick. It's not too long and doesn't drag on, and there are some pretty humorous lines and exciting moments to keep you interested. If you liked the original Wolfman then you'd probably like this one, despite the fact that it's almost exactly like the original. It's a good remake, as remakes go, so I'd recommend it to a die-hard horror fan.
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I am not so secretly in love with Benecio del Toro. He is H-O-T personified.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like this movie very much. Saw it in the theater and was pissed that I used one of my "four movies a year" on this one.
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