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The Wolfman review
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The 'What?'-man!

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 fiancรฉe, Gwen (Blunt) and father (Hopkins) await him there โ€“ 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.

3/10
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Added by SJMJ91
13 years ago on 11 September 2010 03:56

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