Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

"Le Pacte des Loups" – Howls to be Noticed 
by Homer Yen 
(c) 2002 

Oh those wonderfully enigmatic French filmmakers… Sometimes we get cinematic beauty, like "Amelie." Sometimes, we get cinematic beast, like "Le Pacte des Loups." Translated as "Brotherhood of the Wolves," this vanguard French-language film epic is as ambitious as it is ambiguous. It is a buddy-buddy adventure that combines period history, horror fantasy, socio-political commentary, and swashbuckling martial arts. And the result is decidedly mixed. Production values are top-notch. But the film's focus is noticeably discursive while its logical progression is muddled.

In the mid-18th century, southern France was ravaged by a strange beast that would "spare no woman or child." Its victims numbered well over a hundred, yet despite a concerted hunt for the creature, it alluded all attempts at capture. This is becoming a public relations nuisance for King Louis XV. It seems that the beast's fame is encroaching upon the King's territory. Ballads have been spun to praise it while prayers have been spoken to ask for protection. He summons naturalist Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel le Behan), who with his gifted Iroquois companion, Mani (Marc Dacasco), go to resolve this mystery. The King, however, only wishes to eradicate news of the beast. It may go on killing as long as it is "without acclaim."

Territorial issues seem to be the point of many of the individual components of the film rather than the hunt itself. For example, Fronsac wants to make a concerted effort to smoke out the beast while the King has a different agenda. Fronsac introduces himself to a beautiful aristocrat who many potential suitors regard as unattainable. Peasants show resistance towards Mani because of his color. And reason and superstition fight for prominence among the minds of the populace. Had the territorial theme been more pronounced, it would have been enough to sustain the film's direction.

However, many more plot elements begin to surface during Fronsac's investigation including cover-ups, political duplicity, and religious cults. There are also several enigmatic characters that propose to help him, but each one's allegiance can be questioned. And the decision to dispense with a major character, who is one of the most charismatic and sexiest individuals you'll see this season, is tremendously misguided.

All of this makes for a difficult film to follow and to invest in. It feels like standing atop the Eiffel Tower on a foggy morning. There's potentially a lot to look at but it's difficult to know just what you're looking at.

Yet, through the fog, the film is incredibly gorgeous in many respects. The aristocratic costumes are radiant, bursting with reds and golds. There are stunning visuals, most notably the sequence in which a woman's breasts dissolve into a snowy landscape. The film oozes with a gothic atmosphere that captures the somber spirit of the peasants under siege and the savagery displayed by the hunters and the hunted. This film may not feel good, but it certainly looks good.

Despite all that it tries to do, it isn't campy or thrilling enough to qualify as a total crowd-pleaser. Perhaps it's better described as an interesting cultural diversion for those who are interested in those kinds of things. "Brotherhood of the Wolves" howls to be noticed, and to some degree, it will garner our attention.

Grade: B- 
S:      3 out of 3 
L:      0 out of 3 
V:      3 out of 3 
MPAA Rating: R 

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X-RAMR-ID: 30764
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 278431
X-RT-TitleID: 1111814
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B-