The latest movie to be given to us from Universal Pictures is that of The Wolfman which has been begging for a modern remake for years after the original movie back in the 1940s. This 21st century version is directed by Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park 3) and has an rather awesome cast which includes Benicio Del Toro, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and the man who can say ‘Mr. Anderson’ like no other, Hugo Weaving.
Synopsis: Academy Award® winners Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) and Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) tear up the screen in this action-packed thriller. Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro) is lured back to his family estate to investigate the savage murder of his brother by a bloodthirsty beast. There, Talbot must confront his childhood demons, his estranged father (Hopkins), his brother’s grieving fiancée (Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada) and a suspicious Scotland Yard Inspector (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix Trilogy). When Talbot is bitten by the creature, he becomes eternally cursed and soon discovers a fate far worse than death.
Inspired by the classic Universal film that launched a legacy of horror, The Wolfman brings the myth of a cursed man back to its iconic origins.
The Wolfman had rather a bumpy ride to theatres when it was released earlier in the year but I’m pleased it made it’s way to the big screen. It suffers from being a little too erratic. The story seems to jump from one place to another and doesn’t really flow. The big reveal at the end of the movie is no surprise and unfortunately, we’ve seen this same formula time and time again in vampire movies galore, Frankenstein and any other movie which falls into this genre. I think if this movie had been released 10 or 15 years ago, it would have had a much better reception but in a world where every other movie released is a vampire film, it just doesn’t fit with an audience who are looking for something a bit different and original.
All that said, I personally did enjoy the movie and I would buy the DVD to watch the making-of and featurettes included on it. The cast in the movie were well chosen but I hoped for a little more Anthony Hopkins and relative newcomer, Emily Blunt. The costume design and the overall dark look of the movie was perfect and I really enjoyed how Johnson managed to merge all those elements together.
The Wolfman makes a great Saturday night in movie to watch with friends but as I said, don’t expect anything you’ve not seen 100 times before.
The Digital download comes with special features which includes two featurettes:
- Return of the Wolfman
- The Beast Maker
You can download The Wolfman through iTunes here or purchase the DVD / Blu Ray here.
Special features on the Blu Ray includes:
- Theatrical Feature
- Extended Feature
- Werewolf Legacy, Lore & Legend
- Alternate Endings
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Return Of The Wolfman
- The Beast Maker
- Transformation Secrets
- The Wolfman Unleashed
- Pocket Blu
