What happens when you take a classic horror film and update it with modern effects? Universal Pictures is beginning to find out. The first remake of their classic monster films is The Wolfman.
Directed by Joe Johnston, whose previous films include the very worthwhile Rocketeer and Hidalgo, The Wolfman recasts Benicio del Toro in the role of Lawrence Talbot, who learning of his brother's death, returns to his ancestral home in England of the 1890s. There he is bitten by a beast and finds himself transformed into a beast himself. The cast is rounded out by Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving, all delivering solid performances.
While the actors are all talented, what steals the show is the effects. The transformations from man to wolfman are realistic and graphic. There are numerous grizzly sequences and the gore is intense and prevalent throughout the film.
Equally strong is Danny Elfman's score. (It still boggles my mind that he has never won an Oscar for his work!) Elfman delivers with music that combines with the visuals to create a sense of eerie darkness that pervades the film.
What happens when you take a classic horror film and update it with modern effects? You get a film that's definitely worth watching!
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