Plot: After his brother dies in a mysterious and brutal manner, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his home of Blackmoor, England to investigate his brother's murder. There he's confronted by his estranged father Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins) and his brother's ex-fiance Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt). At home Lawrence confronts the town's local superstitions, a dogged Inspector Francis Aberline (Hugo Weaving), his own burgeoning love for Gwen, and worst of all the raging beast within.
Review: The Wolfman is a remake of the 1941 classic horror movie starring Lon Chaney Jr. and while the 2010 version somewhat captures the spirit of the original, it's nowhere close to Director George Waggner's early 40s masterpiece.
The Wolfman is very much a gothic movie, heavy on scenery and mood. You almost feel like you've walked into a story by Poe or Lovecraft when you watch the film, which is undoubtedly what director Joe Johnston (of the soon to be filming Captain America) was going for. In that respect he succeeded admirably. The foggy moors, the intense focus on the moon, gloomy London streets, and an incredibly macabre insane asylum all lend a decidedly creepy if not overly scary motif. The success of The Wolfman's visual imagery stems directly from the cinematography of Shelly Johnson. In a field specialization dominated by men, Johnson shows a unique gift for capturing the grandiose and the uncanny in a visually stunning manner.
The same unfortunately cannot be said for The Wolfman's editors. While many of the personal one-on-one scenes were strong, the action sequences where the Wolfman attacks his victims are hit or miss. There are so many quick cuts that the deaths seem to go by in a flash, with the resulting follow up shots showing the victim's eviscera. (The Wolfman is heavy on the gore by the way.) Editors Dennis Virkler, Walter Murch, and Mark Goldblatt did nothing to heighten the intensity of the scary moments. Once again there was an over-reliance on the "shock" moments rather than any tangible scares.
While The Wolfman is strong in spectacle and mood, it falls short when it comes to acting and story. The surprise ending can be seen from miles away and it's very sad when two Academy Award winning actors like Del Toro and Hopkins come together and do such a horribly botched job of it. Del Toro is completely miscast here as Lawrence Talbot. He seemed so out of place and as a Latino actor I just didn't buy him as the son of an English lord. Jude Law or Gerard Butler would have made better choices. I should have suspected that things were going to be bad early on when Gwen finds Lawrence performing Hamlet at a theater in London. His performance was dreadful even on stage. Del Doro's later scenes, such as his reaction when someone insults his dead mother or his pleas to Gwen for help, also ring hollow.
As bad as Del Toro was Hopkins was even worse. The man who brought us Hannibal Lecter has really phoned it in over the last few years and this is never more evident than in The Wolfman. He delivers his lines in the stilted crisp manner of an English butler saying, "Lawrence I love you dear boy," in the same way he might say, "pass the bangers and mash." There's no feeling or intensity behind it. I never cared or was invested in Sir John Talbot as a character. Hopkins seemed like he was just there for a paycheck. It was a boring and uninspired performance and downright disappointing.
The only saving grace acting wise was the excellent performance of Emily Blunt. The young actress continues to impress and I believe her future is extremely bright. I liken her to a young Emma Thompson. It always impresses me when actors and actresses can perform well in sub par films. Blunt delivers here as the grieving desperate ex-fiance. Her terror and fear are palpable and are enhanced by her foundering love for Lawrence and her fear of the beast within him. Both emotions are heartfelt and powerful and while her chemistry with Del Toro isn't exactly 8 1/2 Weeks it's not Eclipse bad either. You only need see the scene at the end of the film where Blunt is hiding in the forest and read her facial expressions to know that she is the next great talent out of Great Britain.
While The Wolfman impresses visually and projects an admittedly creepy and gothic motif, poor acting and shoddy editing don't make this film stand out from the pack.
My rating: 6/10
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