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The Wolfman Reviews
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The Wolfman review
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago on 15 October 2011 07:19
This movie is a bit long (2 hours) and sort of slow at times, but it's worth watching. Tony always delivers and the werewolf metamorphosis shots are breathtaking. Some of the digital effects are flawed, but the action sequences are good, scoring is perfect, I recommend it.  0 comments, Reply to this entry
An average movie
Posted : 2 years, 4 months ago on 26 December 2010 03:45
Even though the critics were not really enthousiast, I was still curious about this flick. Indeed, there are some very good actors (Anthony Hopkins, Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt) and they all gave some decent performances and also the sets and costumes are gorgeous. However, the story just didn't really work. Maybe it's because it takes like an hour before del Toro becomes a werewolf, I don't know. Anyway, it was not boring but almost and it didn't add anything new to the genre. I really wonder how the whole thing would have turned out if Mark Romanek didn't leave the project in the middle of the production. I mean, Joe Johnston is a decent director at best, no less but not more than that, whereas Romanek is a really intriguing director. Anyway, I don't think it is as bad as everyone says and I think it is still worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
The 'What?'-man!
Posted : 2 years, 8 months ago on 10 September 2010 10:56
Well, I knew from the very beginning that The Wolfman was going to be crap! The main reasons for me watching this was almost the same reason for Jennifer's Body: "Ohh f*** it!", wanted to expand on my 2010 in film list and I do enjoy reviewing and watching bad films sometimes. This film was indeed bad as expected but to be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be as slow and as boring as it really was! I mean, the title is 'The Wolfman' and we don't see that happen until like 50 minutes of the film out of its 103 minute duration. Yeah, there's going to be character development and needing to get the story going but seriously, does it really take that long to get the main key of the film going? The film did have some similarities with Sleepy Hollow but this just felt very unrealistic and quite flat on occasions. However, there were some moments that were quite scary like when the Wolfman or Werewolf attacks. The violence makes it scarier and perhaps adds more horror to make the audience more terrified. I mean, there are some horrors that are really violent that go over-the-top and the film fails but some of the very successful thrillers and horrors aren't really violent at all. Shooting of The Wolfman began on 3rd March 2008 and commenced on 23rd June 2008. It had been scheduled for release about three separate times and has been postponed 3 times. I think the first time it was scheduled for release was in spring 2009 and then it was around November 2009 and was eventually released in March 2010. It perhaps was trying to decide when it would be a good time to release it so therefore it would make more money and become a blockbuster like Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince did but The Wolfman was a lot more of a failure and didn't make the top box office list. Set in 1891 or an actor called Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro) returns to the stately home where he grew up after the death of his brother. His brother's fiancée, Gwen (Blunt) and father (Hopkins) await him there – and something rather furrier and more dangerous besides. I must admit that there are a group of talented actors but despite that I do like most of them, I did sort of know already that they weren't going to deliver brilliant performances. I do like Benicio Del Toro as an actor and has delivered some great performances in the past but The Wolfman was a big mistake on behalf of his career. I hardly felt any sympathy at all for Lawrence unfortunately and the character just felt soulless and empty. Emily Blunt made a name for herself after The Young Victoria but her acting was pretty much the same as what Gemma Arterton was like in Quantum Of Solace and Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time. Anthony Hopkins holds the best leading male performance of all time in my opinion as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs and after seeing this film, I still can't believe it is still that same person! Even he was as flat and empty as Del Toro and Blunt were. Hugo Weaving, however, did a slightly satisfying job but even he didn't save the acting side of the film. Joe Johnston; director of Jurassic Park III, Jumanji and The Pagemaster (live-action) really does try to entertain the audiences but sometimes manages to do so but sometimes doesn't. He is also set to direct the upcoming feature film on MARVEL comic book hero Captain America due for release next year. The Wolfman isn't only his first film in 6 years but it's also his first film rated R (USA)/15 (UK)/MA15+ (Australia). So, all I can say is, Joe, is that I think you should just stick to making PG rated family films because this one was just 'no, just no'. Overall, The Wolfman is a huge disappointment that didn't really surprise me. Great cast and good effects but that is about it. I wouldn't be surprised if this is nominated for a few Razzies such as Worst Remake/Sequel/Rip-Off/Re-boot, Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Actress and Worst Director. I need to check out the original version now to see if there is a massive difference between them (which I hope there is) regarding the tone, pace and character development. It is a failure and unfortunately one of the worst films of 2010 as well as one of the worst remakes. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
Decent, could have been better
Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 18 June 2010 11:25
I really thought this movie could have been a tad bit better, it just didn't leave me with the impact I wanted. What I didn't like about it was that they made it a little much like a modern day scary movie, like having things come out of nowhere that don't even make you jump. Plus, why was there a Gollum like character that had absoultley nothing to do with the wolfman story. Even some of the performances didn't live up to my expectations. On the bright side Benecio Del Torro was great in this movie, just really was the right pick for a wolfman, and it did stay with the same story, but at some points it did go off place at times. In conclusion, decent movie, some of it to modern, check it out if you want to waste an hour and 40 minutes. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
The Wolfman review
Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 7 June 2010 09:07
Del Toro's Wolfman makes Lon Chaney's look like the Teen Wolf. Merciless carnage, inexorably fast-paced and visually satisfying whilst London come to eerie light under the moon, the silhouetted wolfman runs the moors. As far as museum monsters go, this is reincarnated fun. Van Helsing meets Tim Burton. Alas, the story doesn't do it justice. It's as if written with but gut animal instinct with the main characters seemingly out of it, drugged or simply phased out. There are moments of gore fanaticism as there are "huh?s" and "wha?s." Again. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
Uneasy, poorly-paced and lacking humanity
Posted : 2 years, 11 months ago on 5 June 2010 04:23
"I am what they say I am... I'm a monster."
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The Wolfman review
Posted : 3 years ago on 23 April 2010 08:56
Darkness comes for you. Now THIS is what a film about a werewolf should be like! Unlike some of my peers, I definitely enjoyed this film. Nowadays, with werewolves being measured by their abs and the hotness of the actors who play them, "The Wolfman" gives audiences a new and more authentic look on what a werewolf should be. Set in the late 19th century, the film revolves around a young man coming home after the sudden death of his brother, his subsequent infection from a fellow werewolf, and the events that follow. Lawrence Talbot (del Toro) is compelled to return to his childhood home in Blackmoor after his brother's fiancee writes to him about the sudden disappearance of his brother. When he arrives, his father, John (Hopkins), tells him that his brother has been found in a ditch. When Lawrence goes to inspect the body of his brother, he sees an amulet which originated from the band of gypsies who have camped outside of the village. His visit to the gypsy camp causes him to encounter the fearful beast, who bites him on the shoulder. One of the oldest gypsies, Maleva (Chaplin), says that he has been marked by the beast, and a terrible curse now follows him. With just a few days before the full moon, Lawrence tries to make sense of what is happening to him and the consequences that would follow. One reveal in the film wasn't really a huge surprise - in fact, I would be shocked if what my gut feeling told me DIDN'T happen. But it did, so.. no surprises there. :)) Although at first I wasn't too sure that del Toro would fit into the film, but in the end, he did. His gaunt, sullen appearance and the quiet way in which he moved and spoke contributed well to his portrayal of his character. He didn't do anything over the top or drastic, even during his transformation into a werewolf. Emily Blunt wasn't a shrieking damsel in distress as Gwen Conliffe; in fact, she was the one who dealt the death blow on Del Toro's Wolfman. She definitely exuded strength, and her love for Lawrence pushed her to do research on how to cure lycanthropy, the disease which ran through Lawrence's veins. Hopkins. As sleazy as ever. The man even gave glimpses into his Hannibal Lecter portrayal, which was a nice accidental (?) addition to his acting. Hugo Weaving as the Scotland Yard detective, Abberline, didn't exactly have a commanding aura, but he still was a strong force against the Wolfman. Another thing which I liked about the film was that it seemed like the werewolf counterpart to Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. The music, the visuals, even the part where Gwen was perusing the different books of lycanthropy made me see the parallelism between the movies. If you haven't seen either film, go ahead. Watch it. The full moon compels you to. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
I am what I say I am... a monster.
Posted : 3 years, 2 months ago on 25 February 2010 06:11
''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.'' Upon his return to his ancestral homeland, an American man is bitten, and subsequently cursed by, a werewolf. Benicio Del Toro: Lawrence Talbot The Wolfman; Directed by Joe Johnston with Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self working on the screenplay. Well, it's a gorey bit of diluted fun. To start, the film is beautifully produced, and photographed by Shelly Johnson with desaturated colours hearkening back to the similar look of Sleepy Hollow rather than the more lush, vibrant palette found in Bram Stoker's Dracula. With the actual production designed by Sleepy Hollow veteran Rick Heinricks, and the screenplay co-written by the aforementioned Andrew Kevin Walker, the general audience will be subconsciously reminded of that last great, Gothic chiller.  As the title character, Benicio Del Toro goes all out. This Wolfman is brutal, scary and doesn't hold back. While not quite the fluffy-headed, neatly dressed icon we all know and love from the original, Rick Baker's masterful make-up is still faithful enough to legendary monster-maker Jack Pierce's classic design (despite making him bulkier and little more wild.) It is truly a testament to Pierce, that a character he designed almost seventy years ago can still be horrifying (with a few tweaks) to modern audiences! Even when the Wolfman was tearing up extras and shredding them up in the goriest ways possible, it was seeing that classic face doing it that nearly brought a tear of joy to this fan's eye! As for the rest of the cast... how can you not like Anthony Hopkins in anything? The man's played Van Helsing, Hannibal Lecter and even Zorro! That being said, nobody plays a kooky, twisted old man like Hopkins, a role he plays here deliciously. If another actor was cast in the role, I don't think the film would have been as good as it turned out. Emily Blunt is attractive and plays the damsel as well as anyone, and Geraldine Chaplin is memorable, despite being grossly underused as Maleva. Of course the third great player in the story is Hugo Weaving as Inspector Aberline. While not as show-stealing as Hopkins, he certainly gives Del Toro a run for his money in the charisma department as the inquisitive detective. ''Another pint of bitter please?''...It's sort of like watching V for Vendetta when he dresses up as the old dude and does that jolly crisp London accent. Quality albeit humourous without intending to be. I must admit the film flatly kind of fails in the character development department, shifting the original's tragic drama of Man vs. Self, to a more dumbed-down Man vs. Beast (aka Dad) conflict. I do admit, though obvious from the trailers, it was a good twist to spice things up from the original, but I do wish more time was given to flesh out Talbot's inner-suffering. Maybe it had enough, but Del Toro just didn't embody it like Chaney. However, the climactic werewolf showdown was a bit much, and while expected from the beginning, it was the only part I found kind of cheesy or silly (especially the Bad Wolf's demise, which is still burned in my mind!) The fight scene reminded me of something out of Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman, with the werewolves looking more like two of Disney's Beasts throwing themselves at each other. Another problem I had with the film was the lack of Maleva. While she was prominent in a few scenes, she wasn't given a strong presence throughout like she could have, and it seems like the filmmaker's completely forgot about the "Pure in Heart" poem in the film's actual story, so they shamelessly tacked it on the beginning. I also have to confess that Danny Elfman's salvaged score wasn't as soulful as it could have been, often seeming like a riff on Kilar's Dracula soundtrack; Although supported the film's Gothic atmosphere in areas, where it could have been in fact a lot worse. Although the film was filled with digitally altered skies and quick cuts, they were no where nowhere near as distracting or as fakely executed as with Stephen Sommers' Mummy franchise. Overall, it's enjoyable yet hardly memorable. While it could have been so much better, I am still grateful for what we got, instead of what it could've been. Finally a Universal horror film remade as an actual horror film and not a dumb action/adventure with plenty of comedy and CGI! After three-years in the making, Joe Johnston's The Wolfman is filled with samples of atmosphere, drama, suspense, black humour and carnage to stand it proudly on the shelf next to Coppola's Dracula, Brannagh's Frankenstein and Burton's Sleepy Hollow as a successor to it's Gothic horror roots. I pray the movie does well, because the efforts of Johnston, the cast and crew and of course Baker's terrific make-up. A standard effort. ''I am what I say I am... a monster.'' 0 comments, Reply to this entry
They Wont Kill You, But They'll Blame You.
Posted : 3 years, 3 months ago on 15 February 2010 12:39
The classic monster makes his return to the big screen, this time with effects and camera tricks galore to show quite a few amazing transformations from man to beast; not to mention ultra violent displays of thie monsters' power. No, that was not a misprint [SPOILER ALERT***] as in yes, there MIGHT be more then one of the creatures in this movie. Theatre star Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his home town after reciving a letter from his brother's wife, alerting him that he is missing and asking for his help. Upon returning home, his father informs him of the news that his brother's body was found early the moring before. Unaware of a most horrifying destiny awaitng Lawrence, he stays in town in order to find out who or what did this to his brother; a one last look he'll never forget. Filled with mobs, accusations, and of course, vigilante justice in full swing, Lawrence finds himself the prime suspect in the investigation of his own brother's murder. Anthony Hopkins co-stars in this flick and brings an amazing contribution to the film; one great performance that I havent seen since the film "Hannibal". Also making an apperance in the Wolfman is Matrix star Hugo Weaving (Mr. Smith) playing an inspector trying to commit Lawrence for the terrible crimes he has commited, or so he belives. Instead of investigating, he sits in the local tavern and waits for the beast to strike, using the townspeople and his own fellow officers as bait. Seeing the past films Del Toro has made, I didn't see him pulling this one off; but given the background on the character he plays, he portrayed both the main character and the wolfman very well (subtracting of course his stunt double). His fury and frustration flowed very naturally and was exactly how I would feel and what I or anyone would do after his most rocky settlement back into the family. Lawrence Talbot: [from trailer] I am what I say I am... a monster. 0 comments, Reply to this entry
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