It’s the first of hopefully many reviews by the lovely Rachel Parker of DFWLive.org
Red Riding Hood, a classic story you surely heard a million times as a child, comes to theaters this weekend. But be warned this is not the Red Riding Hood we grew up with. Instead of the big bad wolf, it’s a big bad werewolf, Red’s name is Valerie, and she and her family live in a Medieval village in the middle of the snowy forests in the mountains.
The movie starts us out with Valerie, played by Amanda Seyfried, and the love of her life Peter, played by Shiloh Fernandez, as children growing up. Then the film pretty quickly cuts to them as adults finding out Valerie’s sister has been killed by “the wolf.” It quickly then turns to a “find the wolf and kill it” situation. But if only it were that easy. The film then starts to clutter with the “Who done it” scenario, adding the antagonist werewolf hunter Solomon played by Gary Oldman.
Oh and did I forget to mention the sub plot? Valerie’s parents have promised her to another man named Henry, who is a well off villager. As if the wood worked Peter isn’t good enough for her. Yay oppression of women and arranged marriages!
I don’t really want to give away too much of the film for those who may actually care to see it. But I have to be honest about how unimpressed with the incredibly poor screen play I was. It literally is what slaughters the film. There were more than a few moments where I was laughing because it was that stupid. In fact in one part of the movie, they have Valerie out of it and looking at her grandma saying “Grandma, what big eyes you have.. Grandma What big ears you have.” Why? What is the point!?!
The movie never quite was able to figure out what kind of genre it fit in to either. Is it Drama, Action, Romance, Thriller, or Fantasy. I’m going to be honest, I wonder who thought this film up.. I wonder if they were laying in a bed of poppies going “Hey.. we should make a Red Riding Hood.. except the wolf is a werewolf.. yeah.. that would be awesome..” Well maybe it could have been, but this.. was.. not.
On a note of positivity, the film looked good, as in the cinematography, set dressing, and costumes. So kudos to the visual teams. I know they cant help it if the script isn’t a good one. Grandma’s house looked pretty dang cool. Her fireplace was in a tree.. and her steps into the house were in a tree, it was like a really cool tree house.
Lastly as far as the Direction of the film.. well I question why Hardwicke would take this on. I don’t really have too much criticism because I know she didn’t write it, but that doesn’t change the fact that she still directed it. I honestly don’t recommend wasting your time with this one, if you have to see it, wait till its on Netflix.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
