I took a chance on buying The Wolfman DVD last night. When the movie came out in cinemas earlier in the year reviews seemed to be a bit mixed and along the lines of "it's all a bit silly". But like I said, I took a chance on the DVD. Probably because Emily Blunt is in it.
The plot in brief: It's 1891 and Benicio Del Toro is American actor Lawrence Talbot who is performing Hamlet in England. He hears that his brother is missing and then has been found dead so he returns to his family home at Blackmoor which is suitably windswept and Gothic. There he is reunited with his father Sir John Talbot played by Anthony Hopkins and his brother's fiancee Gwen played by Emily Blunt.
The local villagers think that his brother was killed by a bear kept at a nearby Gypsy encampment so Lawrence to investigate and... wait a minute, is that a full moon?
You can probably work out the rest but I have to say I enjoyed it. The movie looks great and I thought was well paced, plus Danny Elfman turns out his usual soundtrack. There's some good set pieces including an amusing/horrific scene in an asylum where a misguided psychiatrist is going to convince his patent that he won't turn into a werewolf when he sees the full moon. And I do like anything set in the late-Victorian period.
Plus there's a great cast. Apart from the previously mentioned cast members Art Malik turns out playing Singh, Hopkin's Indian manservant. Hugo Weaving turns up as inspector Abberline, fresh from the Ripper case and sporting his V for Vendetta accent. And did I see Max von Sydow in a tiny part on the train? I thought it was him but didn't see his name in the credits.
And just allow me to mention Emily Blunt again. Emily is great. She's probably too good for this movie but she still puts everything into it and acts her heart out in the final scene.
Note there are hardly any extras on the normal DVD, just some deleted scenes. All the making-of stuff is on the blu-ray. So be it.
