At the Movies with Fatwayne

 Perhaps I’m just getting old and jaded, even immune to movie horrors considering what is happening in today’s world. I suppose that it is permissible to call this film a horror movie considering the fact that it is about a werewolf but it certainly wasn’t horrific to me in terms of being scary. What it was is a terrific “who dun it” story that will keep you guessing until the ending. We are deliberately led down many false paths along our journey to discover just who this vicious beast is by day. It turns out to be a fun trek however and we are not disappointed to learn who the cursed individual is.

You will find this to be a beautifully filmed movie. The sets, costumes and countryside are phenomenal. The white snow, red cape and blond hair lend a juxtaposition that is a treat to one’s vision. Even the trees with their large thorn like spikes lends interest and forces one to ponder their nature.

One the down side, the principal story line involves teenage love set in the medieval village of Daggerhorn.  The plot offers us romance as well as intrigue and mystery all under the pall of a fearsome beast who seems to be intent on reducing the village’s population. The story is very loosely adapted from the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale and you will not find too many similarities between the two save from a dream sequence where Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) as Red Riding Hood does the “my what big teeth you have” scenario.

It is all about beleaguered townspeople who become fed up after twenty years of the werewolf scaring the crap out of them and so they decide to finally do something about it. The dummies track the wolf and kill it thinking that their problems are solved. Along comes a crazy priest named Father Soloman (Gary Oldman) who informs them that the wolf they killed is not the werewolf since it did not return to its human form once dead. He declares that the monster lives among them in the village and conducts his own version of the inquisition to flush the beast out.  At the same time, village life must go on and this is where the intrigue and mystery come into play. I doubt if you will be able to guess who the werewolf  is and what the final outcome of the movie will be. If you do, you are better that me and I have seen them all!  Oh, by the way, start watching for the sequel which is sure to come if the box office receipts cooperate.

Rated  -  PG13  -

Fatwayne’s Rating 

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