On CLIPS In March, 2010
THE WOLFMAN

Returning home after his brother is murdered, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) is bitten and cursed by a werewolf.

TRIVIA: Who played the title role in 1941's "The Wolf Man"?

Returning to his ancestral home where his brother has mysteriously disappeared, stage actor Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) reunites with estranged father Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins). Learning that his brother has been brutally murdered, Lawrence sets out to find the killer. He discovers a werewolf and is bitten and cursed to become the beast. "The Wolfman" is a remake of Universal's 1941 monster classic that replaces suspense with blood and gore. Director Joe Johnston's ("The Rocketeer") gruesomely graphic reboot should please the horror fans who love to watch heads roll. The rest of us would do better revisiting the black and white original. Considering the on-screen talent here, it is surprising that most of the cast fails to exceed the requirements of this genre. Del Toro and Hopkins deliver B-level performances while Emily Blunt displays little emotion as Gwen Conliffe, the brother's fiancée who is drawn to Lawrence. The only interesting character is the stoic and determined Inspector Abberline, played to perfection by Hugo Weaving. To the movie's credit, CG effects are kept to a minimum and legendary makeup artist Rick Baker is responsible for spectacular werewolf transformations. The fast-paced action covers up most of the flaws in the script. Certainly not the best horror movie ever made, "The Wolfman" doesn't exactly bite either.