Woof! Woof! Meow!

The Wolfman - Joe Johnston

Remakes are getting a lot of stigma nowadays. Any type of that film that’s either a sequel or something that redoes what has been is instantly regarded as shit. It’s strange, for a little while i agreed with this but i started seeing the ones that deserved to be remade, telling the story in a different way, normally in a newer setting or using new plot devices. Take for instance, The Wolfman. A remake using the historic and well known character the man who turns into a wolf and it’s not necessarily going to include a topless scene where he tries to win a girl over in a sloppy love triangle, he is instead going to kill people by ripping their heads off and slashing their guts out of their body. Fucking A! The gore is of a high level here, but it suits it. I don’t like how violence in some cases is dumped down or not shown so it gets a better rating. Sometimes, it needs it. Not like Saw though or Hostel, that’s just mindless fucking violence.

So, you should know the story of Wolfman, a man gets bitten by a wolf slash man; yes i said slash man and not use the symbol! He then turns into one and goes on a spree. Throw in a love story, where the women most overcome the fear or the Wolfman must overcome the urge to kill her. Plus some family problems and involve a person trying to kill the Wolfman and that pretty much sets up most Wolfman stories. Here though, it does use these stereotypes, but changes them for the better. The Wolfman played by Benicio del Toro, who is fucking amazing here, as an actor, who some believe to have mental problems with alternative personalities, is bitten by a Wolfman. When he comes back to his home which is inhibited by his father, played by the eerie Antony Hopkins and the widow of Del Toro’s brother in the film, Emily Blunt, who i have a mild crush on, he begins his path of destruction, turning into the wolf at full moon and killing dozens of people. The inspector, played by Huge Weaving, with one of the best beards I’ve seen in years, goes about trying to capture him. Its very cat and mouse, with a few surprises here and there.

The setting, the set design and the overall mood of the piece strikes the right cord and defiantly brings about the classic horror films made in the 40’s and 50’s using costumes and make-up instead of CGI to show the beast. It brings about those memories and it makes it a better film for it. So it’s a good view. It’s long, but you soon forget the time once the first 45 minutes are out of the way.

7/10

Simon Childs