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I am admittedly a big fan of classic Universal Monster movies, which (in this reviewer’s humble opinion) retain their charm and emotional impact to this day.  In the past few decades, there have been a few attempts to update those memorable characters for modern-day audiences, usually with less than impressive results.  Some films like Francis Ford Coppola’s DRACULA (1992) succeeded in delivering a nostalgic and stylish look, but suffered from poor casting (possible exception of Gary Oldman) and bad writing.  Other instances like Kenneth Branagh’s FRANKENSTEIN (1994) were downright embarrassing failures all the way around.  It almost seemed as if Hollywood forgot how to make a really good monster movie, in the vein of classic horror.  Well that’s all about to change.  The classic Universal Monster Movie is back in style, thanks to the expert direction of Joe Johnston, a man who to date has never let me down with his films.  Johnston previously turned in movies like HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS, THE ROCKETEER, and JUMANJI, to name a few – and his next directorial effort is THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA, which I’m ridiculously stoked for.

THE WOLFMAN follows the Victorian-era story of Lawrence Talbot (Benecio Del Toro), a stage actor with personal demons who returns to his father’s home after receiving news that his brother Ben died at the hands of some sort of creature.  His father Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins) seems cautiously pleased to see Lawrence again, though it’s apparent he’s got his own dark secrets which have accumulated in his son’s lengthy absence.  Lawrence meets his brother’s love interest Gwen (Emily Blunt), who is intrigued with him, and emotionally conflicted at the loss of Ben.  While investigating the cause of his brother’s gruesome death, Lawrence finds himself in a gypsy village, which comes under attack by a large menacing creature.  Lawrence is bitten by the beast, though unlike the rest of the unfortunate villagers finds himself healing up over time.  What he doesn’t know (or yet understand) is that his encounter with the creature may have changed him into the very thing he’s been hunting, and now no one around him may ever be safe again.  When the police send Inspector Abberline (Hugo Weaving) around asking questions, the Talbots become his focus, and Lawrence may not be able to keep his deadly secret hidden.

THE WOLF MAN (1941) has always been one of the most tragic and emotionally resonating films from the original Universal horror series.  The idea of a man unwillingly becoming a beast who loses control under a full moon, and him therefore losing his own humanity in the process… well, it’s just heartbreaking.  I was somewhat worried about THE WOLFMAN update, mainly because I didn’t know if the casting of Benecio Del Toro as Lawrence Talbot was going to work.  Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving all seemed perfectly placed in this film, but there was something about Benecio that just didn’t sit well with me.  Then I saw the movie, and noticed something rather unusual.  Benecio Del Toro looks (and acts) a LOT like Lon Chaney Jr. in this movie.  There are some shots where he looks almost EXACTLY like Chaney, leading me to believe that Joe Johnston and the producers saw that in him, and knew he would be perfect.  And he was.  Benecio embodies the tortured soul of Lawrence Talbot, and delivers an effective and believable performance, the likes of which wouldn’t likely be surpassed in the hands of another similar caliber actor.  I must apologize for ever having doubted him.  Anthony Hopkins is (as one would expect) solid and layered with his portrayal of the father.  He gets several moments to shine, and remind us of his acting depth, perhaps more so than in many of his other recent films.  Emily Blunt is rather subdued, though hauntingly beautiful as Gwen.  Though she never gets a true chance to deliver the performance she undoubtedly could have, one must realize this is a movie about a monster, and not necessarily a love affair.  The Lawrence and Gwen relationship is touched upon just briefly enough to resonate later, and while never overplayed, some might argue a little underdeveloped.  Hugo Weaving may never escape his Agent Smith persona from THE MATRIX films (I heard many, MANY people mutter “Hello Mr. Anderson” when he showed up here), but he does possess the acting gravitas to hold his own next to the other competent auteurs he shares the screen with in this film.  In some ways, his character ends up being one of the most important figures in THE WOLFMAN, allowing for retroactive respect for his performance by the end.  I also enjoyed seeing Geraldine Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin’s daughter) in the role of Maleva, the old Gypsy woman.  Geraldine is classic Hollywood, with performances dating back to DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965).  She is a welcome nostalgic element to this loving adaptation.

Joe Johnston has crafted a violent and intense updating of a classic character, and never once loses focus on why this monster was so endearing in the first place.  There is a definite sense of nostalgia present here, and Johnston does a fine job of transporting the audience into this era.  I actually liked the fact the film never skimped on gore, rather restraining from sex and foul language instead.  THE WOLFMAN is a rather graphic horror film, and those sensitive to blood should definitely be aware of this.  But there’s a sense of appropriateness to the violence here, and I think most of the audience members found it acceptable within the confines of the character and story.  The visual style in this movie is nothing short of stunning.  Every shot is carefully put together to convey a classic setting with artistic style and flare.  Even the sound design is exceptional.  The folks at Universal can’t help but be proud of this film, as Johnston has delivered a respectable updating to one of the studio’s most beloved creations.  The script, adapted by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self from the 1941 original screenplay, keeps things moving along at a steady pace, and never gives the viewer a chance to get bored.  I realized after talking with some of the other critics at the screening that I may have been a bit more impressed that they were, but I can honestly say I found THE WOLFMAN to be highly satisfying, and infinitely better than I ever expected to be.

There have been some reported issues with the movie, such as release dates being moved back, and edits being done to the final cut.  Supposedly there’s a large chunk of footage missing from the film, primarily from the first quarter, which was said to be cut so the first transformation would come quicker.  I’m sure you can look for a more definitive cut on DVD and Blu-ray.  But despite that, I found the story fairly complete and concise, and outside of some truncated plot elements, an overall fantastic moviegoing experience.  The Wolfman scenes in the movie are definitely the highlights.  Joe Johnston captured the intensity and danger of this monster with amazing perfection.  Also pay close attention to Danny Elfman’s superb score, which harnesses classic movie music sensibilities, and complements the presentation nicely.  Acknowledgement must also go to the brilliant Rick Baker, who turned in fantastic make-up effects here as only he could.  Baker even has a cameo if you watch closely – look for a Wolfman victim with long silver hair and a beard, and a decidedly dark mustache.  If you’re a fan of vintage Universal horror films, you’re in for a treat with THE WOLFMAN.  This is exactly how to make a monster movie, and other filmmakers should take note.  Considering how effective I found this to be, I can only wonder how cool a Universal-produced update of FRANKENSTEIN or CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON could be.  Let’s hope we find out sooner than later.

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