Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Movie Review: The Wolfman

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, I'm finding what was normally a slow time for ABI has sped up quite a bit. I did get to take time out this weekend to go to the movies and Mike and I chose our Valentine's Day Movie to be the Wolfman. Now you might think this isn't a romantic choice but since I tend to be jumpy in horror movies it did lead to quite a bit of handholding throughout.

If you saw the original Wolfman with Lon Chaney Jr then the story of this movie is all too familiar. Lawrence Talbot returns from America to the foggy moors of England to visit his estranged father. In this case he has returned to determine what happened to his missing brother. Soon he is bitten by a creature and all sorts of mayhem ensues. In this case Lawrence is played by Benecio Del Toro and his father by Anthony Hopkins. His brother's fiancee is played by Emily Blunt.

So did this movie make me jump - yes definitely. But then someone popping into my cube unexpectedly can make me jump. Did they update the movie - definitely yes. There is a whole new psychological element that is explored. And an asylum scene thrown in for good measure.

But there are some questions that haunt me. Who decided that it would be a good idea to have someone who's native language is Spanish play an Englishman who's lived for years in the US. I came to realize that the scenes where Lawrence Talbot speaks he seems depressed and speaks slowly - or is it just Benecio trying to remember how to say his lines with the right accent? And Anthony Hopkins is great but there are a lot of questions about his character's motivations that go unanswered. I can't say more without ruining the suspense but seriously we had questions about his gneral motivations. And Hugo Weaving is great as the Scotland Yard Inspector who comes down to investigate the murders. There is a great throwaway line about his involvement with the Jack the Ripper investigation and Lawrence Talbot but it is never followed up on or developed. A little more info would help.

I loved the original Wolfman - Saturday night creature feature or the Channel 9 4:00 movies back in New Jersey in the 60's made for scary fun. Lon Chaney Jr. had a great tortured face and you truly felt for his pain. Benecio - not so much. I say wait and rent the Wolfman on Halloween night.

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