Directed by:
Christophe GansCinematography:
Dan LaustsenComposer:
Joseph LoDucaCast:
Samuel Le Bihan, Mark Dacascos, Jérémie Renier, Vincent Cassel, Émilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci, Jacques Perrin, Philippe Nahon, Virginie Darmon, Hans Meyer (more)Plots(1)
Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan), a charming naturalist and libertine, arrives in Gevaudan with his companion, Mani (Mark Dacascos), a taciturn Mohawk Iroquois Indian with amazing fighting skills. Fronsac has been sent by the king to investigate a mysterious beast that is slaughtering women and children across the countryside. The local gentry include the friendly Marquis Thomas D'Apcher (Jérémie Rénier), Jean-François de Morangias (Vincent Cassel), a one-armed adventurer with a suspicious nature and his beautiful sister, Marianne (Emilie Dequenne). Though Fronsac is immediately attracted to Marianne, he still finds time to visit Sylvia (Monica Bellucci), a mysterious prostitute with a penchant for sharp objects. Fronsac and Mani quickly realize that the killer is not a wolf, but something bigger and far more deadly. As they attempt to track the beast, they encounter unexpected resistance from the locals and find themselves in grave danger. (StudioCanal)
(more)Reviews (4)
Brotherhood of the Wolf is a type of French epic film that aims to emulate overseas blockbusters with its colorful plot, settings, and action elements, and it does a fairly good job of it. The excellent cinematography, dynamic action, romantic exteriors, and decent special effects deserve praise. However, the screenplay falters, as it apparently doesn't pay much attention to the logic of the plot or many essential details. An Indian and his European friend use East Asian martial arts, and the creature on screen seems to belong to a different genre. Nevertheless, it's a decent watch, and the audience won't be bored for even a moment. Overall impression: 50%.
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Another French attempt to make a film in a Hollywood package, but this time it got out of hand. The result is a mess, with a monster like in Predator, a victim caught like in Jaws, love, sex, kung fu (in 17th century France !!), an Indian, a mutant villain, etc. It's terrible crap, but I have to say I wasn't bored.
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In the competition for the most botched theme, Gans wins the prepared wolf plague. The sad thing is, because of how exciting and well-built this film can be at times, it's not properly funny in other places. The alternation of the torn action plane with a dark drama about the coming change of order is simply like drunk regulars in a cheap Hamburg tavern. There should be less kung-fu, less Vinnetou, and more spoiled sophistication, like the realia and the magnificent Cassel bring to the film. The idea seems brilliant to me, the processing burned like a cheap burger at a booth.
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Undoubtedly, the film’s assets include Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci’s performance, as well as the fact that at certain moments I watched it with a kind of perverse joy. That’s it, however, in terms of the positives. It was basically a hodgepodge of various genres, which was neither here nor there. It would have been worth only one star, but another one goes to Monica Bellucci...
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