Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Billy Burke, Virginia Madsen, Julie Christie, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, and Gary Oldman
Based on the Novel by: Sarah Blakely - Cartwright
Rated: PG-13
A medieval village is being terrorized by a werewolf. The villagers have kept the creature at bay for twenty years, but now it has decided it wants something more – pretty, blonde Valerie (Amanda Seyfried). Valerie, unaware of the wolf’s lust for her, has meanwhile found herself caught up in a love triangle between lifelong friend and true love Peter (Shiloh Fernandez) and Henry (Max Irons), the kindhearted son of the town’s blacksmith. She wants Peter, but Henry wants her – and she finds herself being pushed to marry Henry. When her sister is killed by the werewolf, it becomes clear to Valerie that their village is in jeopardy. Things become more complicated when famed werewolf hunter, Father Soloman, (Gary Oldman) comes to town, taking over and creating paranoia throughout the village.
A lot of people have expressed hatred toward this film, but I honestly don’t find it that bad. I went to see it in theaters and I didn’t feel ripped off once the credits rolled. This movie may not be the greatest work of cinema (as I will explain below), but it is certainly not the worst film I’ve seen – not by a long shot.
I really liked the cinematography. The atmosphere of the film felt very fantastical and the scenes were beautifully depicted. The werewolf was a little too computer generated for me. I’m kind of old-school about my special effects, I prefer those of the ‘70s through the ‘90s when prosthetics and fake blood were used. CGI has always looked goofy to me. I find it jarring and out of place – especially when it is done poorly like it was in this film.
The story is okay. I haven’t read the book, though I’ve heard it is better. I’ve also heard the original script based on the book was much better than the final product that hit the big screen. I wouldn’t be surprised, and I’d love to get my hands on a copy of the script to find out for myself. As for what did hit the big screen – it came off a little Twilighty for my tastes. People who have read the novel and the original script say that the romance aspect didn’t play nearly as big of a role in-text as it does on film. It feels like the whole supernatural romance aspect was played up to attract Twilight fans and cash in on what is currently popular. However, I think that backfired, as the story – which is supposed to be focused on discovering the identity of the werewolf – was hindered by this aspect. The actual mystery aspect of the film was what held my interest, as well as Gary Oldman’s inquisition of the town. His character was so invested in his hunt for werewolves, he’d practically become a beast himself. The film did well in throwing in red herrings to keep the audience guessing. Some may say it was predictable, but I didn’t see it coming when the big reveal was made.
Foreshadowing was used quite well throughout the film. If something was focused upon in the beginning of the film, it was touched on by the end – something that doesn’t always happen in films. I really didn’t like the actual ending, however. The events after the big reveal somewhat contradict what the movie was saying all along, and that didn’t sit well with me. People who have read the original script have said the original ending was much better, and from the details they’ve given, I believe them.
The acting was so-so. Gary Oldman was great as the evil inquisitor/werewolf hunter. He brought the character to life and made him one the audience loved to hate. Amanda Seyfried did very well in her role, but has given much stronger performances in her career. Her character is strong-willed and sympathetic at times, but the audience barely gets to know her. Julie Christie is lovely and very believable as the grandmother – it’s easy to see where Valerie gets her strong will from. Peter and Henry both seemed pretty flat considering they were supposed to be vying for Valerie’s affections. I honestly didn’t really care for either one of them, though of the two, Henry was the most likable. He was selfless and was still willing to help Valerie even though she'd rejected him. Peter came off as a jerk at times, and I couldn’t really see why Valerie was so infatuated with him.
Overall, the film is rather bland, but hardly the worst film ever made as some reviewers on imdb.com have stated. I think that the cast did well with what they had to work with, but from what I hear, the original script was butchered. That leaves me wondering what could have been.
I found it entertaining, and would most likely watch it again, but it definitely didn’t “wow” me. I could have easily waited for it to hit the shelves on DVD/Blu-ray.
Rating: 6/10
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