"The Wolfman" will have you howling with amusement

by Ken San Nicolas

Director: Joe Johnston

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving

Joe Johnston's "The Wolfman" is the 2010 remake of the 1941 Waggner classic of the same name. While there are glaring differences between the two, the modern version has an abundance of humor and allusions to its werewolf predecessors to keep even the hardest werewolf critics satisfied. And well, after my review of "New Moon," the criticism doesn't get any tougher than with me.

"The Wolfman" tells the story of Lawrence Talbot (played by Benicio Del Toro), an English stage actor who returns home to Blackmoor to investigate the death of his brother. As it turns out, Lawrence's brother had been mutilated by a really violent, large animal or serial killer. Upon deeper investigation, Lawrence comes face to face with the killer responsible for his brother's death and is viciously attacked. Luckily, he survives yet he can't seem to shake the new symptoms and urges he has mysteriously picked up. Are they the effects of his attack or are they merely his mind playing tricks on him?

"The Wolfman" is a very simple story and quite predictable. However, the performances of Del Toro, Hopkins and Weaving have such a strong on-screen presence that they overshadow the banality of some of the transitional scenes in the movie. Needless to say, the casting of this film is really what prevents this movie from being a total flop. While Del Toro's performance as Talbot is above-average, it's Anthony Hopkins' role as Lawrence's father that is truly enjoyable. While it may not be Hannibal Lecter from his past works, Sir John Talbot is sure to be one of his most memorable roles to date.

"The Wolfman" is full of the traditional horror tricks but what sets it apart from other films in the genre is that it doesn't try to be a serious werewolf flick. Instead, it pays homage to the original 1941 classic and the story plays second fiddle to this tribute. While I typically would not be very fond of this, I think Joe Johnston finds a perfect balance of the two in his film. We all know what is going to happen in each scene, and Johnston is not ashamed to milk these moments of their suspense.

All in all, "The Wolfman" is a simple movie that makes no attempt at any great underlying theme nor is the acting any over-the-top desperate attempt at awards. At its core, "The Wolfman" is a horror tribute with decent story-telling, pacing, and above all, it makes sense - which is more than I can say about some of the more recent werewolf movies. If you are looking for something worth its price tag this weekend, go to Tango Theatres and check out "The Wolfman."

3 out of 5 stars.