I like werewolves.  I love Universal’s original, The Wolf Man, ever since I saw it as a wee lad.  It left an indelible impression on me:  the foggy moors, the twisted forest of trees, the cursed creature stalking the night for victims.  I finally got out to see the remake, after Universal finally got around to releasing.  It recalls some of the great horror movies from yore; it not only respects the original, but watching it I was reminded of Frankenstein, Dracula, and of Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow.  The Wolfman and Sleepy Hollow share screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, but it doesn’t have that film’s wit,or the camp of Coppola’s remake.  But all in all, The Wolfman is a movie that’s should not be passed up.

The movie opens in 1891 with Ben Talbot wandering the woods of Blackmoor, England, at night.  We already know this is not a good idea, if only because the movie is called The Wolfman, but good guy Ben knows it’s not safe because all of Blackmoor knows something is out in them woods and moors and marshes because the villagers have been finding bodies of friends, family, and neighbors.  And the poor victims have been torn to shreds.  It’s believed to be a wild beast, but there is speculation that it could also be a mad, lunatic, man on the loose, or that it could be the dancing bear from the gypsy camp.  Some say no man could that damage.  The gypsies say the bear only dances.

Anyhoo, Ben is attacked.  His fiancee, Gwen, after Ben remains missing for some time, sends a letter to his actor brother, Lawrence Talbot, in London, to notify him of the situation.  Larry has been away from home for several years, mainly to escape their somewhat formidable father, Sir John Talbot.  Sir John seems to be so overbearing and emotionally distant, it drove their mother to suicide when they, themselves, were wee lads.  Larry, understandably, had some trouble with all this, and spent some time in an asylum.  That comes back to bite him in the ass.

Upon his arrival in Blackmoor, Sir John informs Larry that Ben’s body has been found, and, after witnessing the atrocities inflicted upon it, Lawrence vows to Gwen that he will not leave until he discovers who, or what, killed his brother.  Ben acted as a liason between the village and the gypsies, so Larry starts his investigation with them.  We get to see the dancing bear, though not in action, but the bear is not the highlight of that sequence.  Something (we all know what) attacks the gypsy camp, and Lawrence is almost mortally injured.  One can guess what happens next.

As good as The Wolfman is, it still feels like it’s lacking something.  Everyone does a great job, though I think director Joe Johnston is weak at times, as is star Benicio del Toro.  Del Toro is a great choice overall, but I felt he was flat in a couple of places; on the plus side, he not only recalled Lon Chaney, Jr., but surpassed his performance as well.

The Wolfman doesn’t hold any shocking surprises, but does give some nice twists, though they can be seen a mile away.  The good outweighs the bad here, and despite its flaws, I highly recommend it.  I, for one, want to see it a couple more times, and it will definitely be added to my DVD collection when it hits home.  It’s a sumptuous movie, fun and entertaining, just a notch below perfect.

4.5 out of 5
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