The Wolfman is a disappointment. Nobody is going to compare Joe Johnstone to Spielberg or Lucas but there was no reason for the studios to give the reins of a film to a man who is better known in the vfx arena and not as a wholesome filmmaker. What is even worse is that The Wolfman isn't even visually exciting. It is too dark and drab and the makeup (which for a film where a man transforms into a werewolf is of top importance) leaves a lot to desire. Frankly speaking An American Werewolf in London had more realistic makeup and transformation. And all this without going into the story or pacing. To be fair The Wolfman is an alright film but do not go in with much expectation.

more a retelling than a remake of the 1941 Universal Studios classic, the similarities more or less start and end with the titular monster make-up and character names. Sir John Talbot, Larry/Lawrence's father, is played by Anthony Hopkins, whose performance drives the film.Joe Johnston's Wolfman is a Gothic romance reminiscent of, though not quite the masterpiece of movie magic that is Coppola's Dracula, with an excellent soundtrack composed by Danny Elfman and several others who, according to Wikipedia, 'were brought in to shape Elfman's score to fit the final cut of the film, as well as compose new material'. worth watching and judging by its own merit

because the traditions about Wolfman and the adaptations of its legend are a large circle and the expectations are high. but a film who could be interesting. for atmosphere, for dialogues, for Anthony Hopkins giving a character who knows use ambiguity as spice for a story too predictable and to give the portrait of a cold father. Benicio del Toro did his the best and the result is decent. I admit, after I saw first time, the disappointment was not small. but if you accept it as part of a large picture of the Central European myths, it could be not so awful. but only one of nice demonstrations about the resurrection of a theme, using new technology because the story has each line perfect.

To say that The Wolfman had a troublesome journey from page to screen would be an understatement, with director-swaps, re-shoots and a release date that kept getting pushed back plaguing the production of Universal's attempt to reboot one of the horror franchises they laid their foundations with back in the 1930s and 40s. The cracks and desperate stitching together are plain to see in the resulting movie, which limped into cinemas only to quickly disappear from memory. One part an earnest attempt to bring an age- old tale to modern audiences with a heavy tip-of-the-hat to the Lon Chaney original, and one part a bungled and rushed attempt to blend a serious psychological study with gruesome mainstream thrills, screenwriters Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en) and David Self (Road to Perdition) must have been wondering where their hard work went.Shakespearean actor Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) leaves the comforts of London life for his childhood home of Blackmoor after he learns of the disappearance of his brother Ben (Simon Merrells). There waiting for him is his father Sir John (Anthony Hopkins), who greets his wayward son in typical horror fashion, from the top of the dark staircase of his once-spectacular mansion. When Ben shows up dead and apparently mangled by some vicious beast, Lawrence consoles his brother's beautiful fiancée Gwen (Emily Blunt). During an attack on the village by a bloodthirsty werewolf, Lawrence is bitten and is cursed to transform into a murderous monster every full moon. Faced with his developing fondness for Gwen and his uncontrollable, animalistic urges, Lawrence is forced to confront the beast within, as Scotland Yard Inspector Aberline (Hugo Weaving) is called in as the body count rises.Given my love for the old Universal horror movies, I appreciated The Wolfman's respect for the original and the occasional success in bringing those foggy English moors to life again. The film also thrives during the few brutal attacks, with no punches being pulled in the gore stakes as spines are raked and limbs go flying. Sadly, this is just about all Joe Johnston's movie has going for it, and the director shapes the film with the same lack of singular vision that plagued Jurassic Park III (2001) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). One moment it is rushing to deliver the CGI-fuelled thrills to the undemanding audience, and the next it is brooding and deep, or delivering a confusing moment of exposition in what becomes an unnecessarily complicated plot. I don't recall the likes of Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi stumbling their way through a convoluted story for 2 long hours, so why would it be needed here?