Movie Review : The Wolfman

February 12, 2010 marked the debut of The Wolfman, rated R for bloody horror violence and gore. Directed by Joe Johnston, whose works include Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, The Rocketeer, Jumanji, and the disastrous Jurassic Park 3, (we might have to forgive you for that one Joe), surprised us again with special effects taken to bloody measures and hairy bodies.


If the title doesn't give any insight into what the movie is about or if you've been living under a rock your entire life and don't know what a werewolf is, let me clarify. Under the full moon, a person (mostly males...sexist, nah - who wants to see a shewolf?) gets bitten by a werewolf while roaming the countryside at night (they're just looking for trouble). Then that unlucky person turns into a werewolf under the next full moon and howls and bays at it, turns ferocious, and goes crazy wild on the people of the community.


Anthony Hopkins plays Benicio Del Toro's father. He lives in a gigantic house and provides no upkeep for it. He needs a maid, believe me. Emily Blunt plays the girlfriend of Del Toro's dead brother-who was killed by the beast. Note: I'm not ruining the movie for you - you learn this in the first 5 minutes.


Now, I kept thinking of Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf minus the anger issues and puberty. Maybe it was the hair, I'm not sure. Actually I know why I kept thinking of Teen Wolf but I don't want to spoil anything for you. Kudos to Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt. I enjoyed their performances, and I think Emily Blunt is going to be the next big thing in movies. I have a good feeling about her.


THE LOWDOWN
Would I recommend this movie to theater goers? Definitely.
Would I buy this movie? Probably not, because I don't own many movies of this genre.
Would I watch this movie in the future when it plays on tv? Depends on what mood I'm in, but more than likely - yes.


One last thing...
Despite the annoying old man sitting behind me in the theater laughing at decapitated heads and intestines laying about on the ground, I thought the gore in the movie was sufficient and not hilarious. Some parts made me jump, shriek, and sink in my seat. My way of dealing with thrillers and the annoying old man's ways differ dramatically. A little part of me was disturbed by the way the old man laughed when someone was getting mauled by the werewolf...good thing I wasn't walking out of the theater alone.