Are werewolves the new vampires? Thanks to a certain tweenage book/movie sensation, it seems like our favorite hairy monsters are making a resurgence on the big screen. And with a cast of Oscar winners and superb makeup, The Wolfman should attract fans of the genre to its doors.
Plagued by a series of delays and reshoots, Universal’s remake of one of their most beloved horror franchises arrives relatively intact, thanks mainly to an introspective and chilling performance by Benicio Del Toro. Del Toro’s Lawrence Talbot, the prodigal son, manages to retain his humanity and our sympathy, a remarkable feat given the film’s thin screenplay and extremely uneven pacing. Like its titular character, the film constantly changes, unsure of what it wants to be. Swinging between Anthony Hopkin’s comically broad characterizations as Lawrence’s father and Emily Blunt’s would-be touching heroine, the film suffers from an identity crisis. The odd pacing ramps up the action to thrilling degrees before sidetracking into useless subplots that refuse to resolve themselves. Only Del Toro and Hugo Weaving as a Scotland Yard inspector escape unscathed, as both strike a balance between the kitschy, old-fashioned horror romp of yesteryear and the grounded performances of more recent dramas.
As marred as the film is in its own indecisions, The Wolfman still eeks out a respectable amount of scares and thrills. Gorgeous, dark cinematography and Danny Elfman’s moody, gothic score serve to elevate the film past its own directorial vision. The foggy forests of Victorian-era England couldn’t be more foreboding, and with visibility cut down to only a few feet, anything can be lurking in the shadows. If only the rest of the film were as confident in itself as its production values, we wouldn’t have to rely on Twilight to bring our lovable werewolves back from horror obscurity.
Directed by: Joe Johnston Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt Rated R, 103 min. 2 Stars
