As the full moon rises over a Gothic mansion set in 1892 Blackmoor, England, people have reason to close their doors to a rabid “Wolfman,” who roams the land with blood-thirst. Ripping through towns in an old English countryside, “The Wolfman,” sends echoing howls to disturb the tranquil night air. These bombarding howls appear throughout the movie as foreshadowing for a ravaging bloodbath that occurs at every dreaded full moon.
As Lawrence (Benicio Del Toro) is traveling through Europe performing Hamlet with a theater company from America, he receives a letter from Gwen, his brother Ben’s fiancée (Emily Blunt). Her desperate words convince Lawrence to come home due to the slaughter of Ben, even though he has not seen his father since the death of his mother earlier in his childhood. Before Lawrence arrives home, the talk of the town is focused on the mysterious cause of Ben’s strange and horrible death. Lawrence, also curious as to the reason of Ben’s expiration, decides to track this mythical beast which launches the plot into action, finally. The rest of the film is spent displaying the savage detachment of limbs and occasional flinging of organs. You can be sure to experience a stomach churn when the number of death scenes take over the entire end of the movie.
With the constant suspense of dissonant chords and building music we are, after being dragged through the mud with the “overkill” of slaughter scenes, exposed to the twisted truth behind the deaths that have been occurring. Overall, I thought the plot was creative and suspenseful, but the gore of the movie ruined the actual story line. As I looked around at my fellow viewers before the movie started I realized that it was myself and one other woman pathetically anticipating what kind of fantastic adventure “Wolfman” would be. I felt out of place, since all the rows ahead of me were lined with guys who anxiously awaited the human mutilation and destruction of mankind. In preparation for Valentine’s Day, “Wolfman” reminded me why I focus on love instead of death.