Upon returning home, Lawrence Talbot is bitten by a werewolf and
is doomed to become a werewolf himself upon the next full moon. HORROR
|
The Wolfman (2010)Directed by Joe Johnston
Written by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self Starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik, Geraldine Chaplin Remake of 1941's The Wolf Man Oscar Wins - Best Makeup |
Remaking a horror icon is always tough work, as its guaranteed to never hold a candle to the original. Such is the case with Joe Johnston's The Wolfman, which does a decent job of adapting the 1941 film for a modern audience, but adds far too much unnecessary fluff to the story that it's barely recognizable. The characters are well-cast and the makeup effects are brilliant, but the film is a bit of a slog and it can get very cheesy at times.
Benicio Del Toro fills the shoes of Lon Chaney Jr. as Lawrence Talbot, a famous stage actor who returns home to Blackmoor, England after his brother goes missing. He reconnects with his estranged father, Sir John (Anthony Hopkins) and learns his brother is dead, ravaged by a beast. After he is bitten by the beast, he is investigated by Insp. Francis Aberline (Hugo Weaving), who believes Lawrence's faculties are not 100%. Lawrence becomes a werewolf and chaos ensues. What lost me was the sudden revelation of Sir John being the original werewolf, who then fights Lawrence in a werewolf showdown. Felt way too "action flick" and super cheesy. The Wolfman may not be the worst of Universal's attempts at reviving their original classics, but it has a lot of problems. It doesn't come close to matching the brilliance of the 1941 film, but it's a decent watch for a Sunday afternoon if you're a horror fan. Benicio Del Toro does the best he can with what he's given, but the screenplay is quite dull and the third act goes off the rails. |