Movies inspired by legendary source material such as literature or older films always have the leg up on the competition as far as mainstream appeal is concerned. It’s only natural for people to want to go see how the new incarnation stacks up with the work of the past. Because of that, films like “The Wolfman†will always appear in theaters and find a way to draw in revenue.
That doesn’t mean that this film is worth seeing however.
Just like the curse that ruins the life of Lawrence Talbot [Benicio Del Toro], this film leaves you howling like an animal in disgust after you exit the theater. In spite of creepy sound effects, excellent cinematography and special effects and overall good performances by Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt, The Wolfman’s plot is the opposite, turning what could have been this decade’s answer to “Bram Stoker’s Dracula†into something along the lines of another “Van Helsing.â€
After about 30 minutes of this flick, if you’ve followed along close enough, you know exactly what’s going to happen as far as the main plot line. It doesn’t matter if Hopkins and Blunt are on their A-games and if Hugo Weaving is solid in a supporting role either- things are pretty obvious and flat after a nice start. After that initial glimmer has faded and the originally captivating shots of the moon and brilliant dialogue of Hopkins has run its course, you’re left with a predictable thriller that can’t be saved, regardless of the amount of blood and well-done special effects it has sprinkled throughout.
Del Toro, while convincing and somewhat menacing at times, gets worse as the film goes on, with several lines that border on the Hayden Christensen level of Velveeta. As the star of this thing, Del Toro needed more than what he gave on-screen and is one of the big reasons why the film merely growls, rather than bites. He’s not exactly horrible here, but he’s far from captivating. The same thing goes for the script, which originally is eery and dark, before heading down the cookie cutter isle in search for extra ingredients to finish up, slowly, but surely playing its part in nearly ruining every actors’ performance.
Even though the ambiance created by the lighting and special effects will keep you in your seat, it gets to the point where they too, miss the mark. Sudden and rushed, the last act of “The Wolf Man†is a bore and regardless of your affinity for monster tales, you may find yourself drooling from the mouth like a rabid dog, angrily waiting for something to happen.
Once it does though, you won’t be satisfied and may look to take your frustration out on the person in the next seat.
Producing a fighting scene that lacks the type of brutality that you would expect from a film such as this and the ending in general is lackluster and poorly executed, “The Wolfman†needed to be put to sleep much sooner. Even worse, the questions that remain are easily answered and again, lack the type of shock and awe you’d expect from a horror/thriller, making for something mediocre and derivative when it’s all said and done.
Special effects and blood don’t make up for a lackluster plot and “The Wolfman†ultimately proves that. Having the look and feel of a monster flick, just without the smarts and intrigue to back it up, it’s a passable offering that will cater to those who insist on going to cinema, rather than those who expect more than a few shrills and shrieks for their hard-earned money.
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