**The original version of "The Wolf Man" is one of my favorite movies. It is wonderful. Since I am such a huge fan, I had little expectations that this film would live up the original. Besides that, when I was working at Universal, I read a script for this film and I did not like it. Another thing that was going against "The Wolfman" were the re-shoots I read about and the drama in terms of changing directors and musical composers. But to my surprise, "The Wolfman" was actually good!
The story has changed a little bit from the original, but it still stays true. My biggest problem with the script was the character development. Of course, we feel bad for Talbot (Del Toro), but it would have been nice to see him happy at least some of the time. The original does this by having a happy Talbot trying to make time with Gwen, who in this version is played by Emily Blunt. In this version, the relationship between Talbot and Gwen just seems to be there because it should be. Her character was not really needed at all.
Del Toro was great as Lawrence Talbot. We have sympathy for him and he is a ruthless killer when he turns into the Wolfman. Anthony Hopkins is also very good as Sir John.
The best thing about the film is the incredible make-up by Rick Baker. This is one of the best werewolf make-ups I have ever seen and I really liked how it hinted to Jack Pierce's make-up in the original film. The facial expressions of Del Toro really comes through the make-up and at times, he actually looked like Lon Chaney, Jr in the make-up what with the squinting shifty eyes.
The special effects were OK. Nothing remarkable. The transformation scenes were good, but nothing to really blow you away like how "An American Werewolf in London" or "The Howling" did. Unfortunately, Rick Baker was not in on the development of the transformations. That was really upsetting. The producers decided to use an all CG transformation, but Baker thought it should combine CG with real life make-up. I'm sure it would have been better with Baker behind the magic, but what can you do.
I was pleasantly surprised by "The Wolfman". It is nowhere near the original, but it's a good remake nonetheless.
B I recommend it.
No comments:
Post a Comment