The Wolfman (2010)
‘The Wolfman’ (2010) had originally been scheduled for a release last Halloween; however, it was put back several times and now finally sees the light of day over valentine’s weekend. This can only be good news for anyone who didn’t fancy seeing ‘It’s Complicated’ or something with Sandra Bullock in it (Seriously, why is that woman getting so much work at the moment? Have we forgotten people, have we forgotten? Four words: ‘Speed Two: Cruise Control’).
I hadn’t followed the hype monster for Wolfman, due to a plethora of cinematic disappointments over the last 12 months. The very idea of another remake provoked nothing more than a half hearted shrug of vague interest. In short, I expected nothing from it, and boy was I rewarded for this.
There is very little messing around, the movie gets right into the action and never really lets up. It’s a faithful and simple story, which allows for all involved to really get their teeth into the picture (sorry). Benicio Del Toro is Lawrence Talbot the prodigal son of Anthony Hopkins’ Sir John Talbot. Cast out by his father at a young age after witnessing his mother’s suicide, he was committed to an asylum before turning his hand to the stage (to great acclaim).
The disappearance of Lawrence’s brother motivates his widow Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) to write to him, requesting that he return home. Upon his arrival he discovers that his brother’s body has been found. This is where the mystery begins.
The most prominent feature about ‘The Wolfman’ is that you never feel you are watching an actor. Del Toro, Hopkins and (later) Weaving assimilate into their roles, allowing the viewer to focus on the story, the mark of a consummate professional. If it were say, Brad Pitt onscreen, it would be a case of watching Brad Pitt in a movie about ‘The Wolfman’, and no amount of Victorian posturing would detract from that. I have been a fan of Del Toro since I was about 8 years old and saw him as a sleepy looking henchman in ‘Licence to Kill’ alongside 80’s favourite Robert Davi. He excels in this.
The slow descent into lycanthropy and the specifics that surround it are not something that should be purveyed by some jumped up little internet reviewer. That is why I shall give you a simple recommendation to see this in the cinema for yourself. For a few brief and beautiful hours, my cynicism was washed away, I felt as if I was transported to the time of the big screen Horror classics. All involved have embraced the genre with love and care, replicating without regurgitating, creating homage without farce or unnecessary adaptation.
The sets and costumes are remarkable and the ghoulish Victorian atmosphere is stylish and believable. Following the absolute travesty that was ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and witnessing the damage that can be caused to a franchise by contextual reworking and insertion of 21st Century attitude, ‘The Wolfman’ shows that when it’s done correctly, a remake can be a thing of great love and wonder.
It was nice to see that Andrew Kevin Walker was the main screenwriter on this piece, his work was always of great quality (Se7en, Sleepy Hollow, The Game etc) and it’s great that he’s back on the scene. All of the actors involved were superb and the direction was concise and effective. The best Friday night I’ve spent at the cinema in a long, damn time.
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