Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

"Brotherhood of the Wolf"

Between 1765 and 1768, in a remote, rugged part of France, a mysterious creature, dubbed the Beast of Gevaudan, savaged the countryside killing over 100 people, mostly women and children. Seen as an affront to his absolute authority, King Louis XV sent the best hunters to destroy the monster only to fail. Helmer/co writer Christophe Gans uses this legend as a starting point for a tale of love, politics and religious fervor in "Brotherhood of the Wolf."

A young scientist, recently returned from New France with his Iroquois Indian companion, is sent by the king to use his naturalist skills to kill the beast that has wreaked such deadly havoc on his subjects. Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel le Bihan) and Mani (Mark Dacascos) arrive on the heels of the latest brutality by the Beast and it is up to them to discover the true nature of this seemingly supernatural creature that can kill so indiscriminately. But, the locals, led by aristocratic Jean Francois (Vincent Cassel) and the clergy, harbor a dark, sinister secret and Fronsac and Mani face staggering odds to their own survival.

Christophe Gans, with the story he co-scripted with Stephane Cabel, has created a beautifully crafted artwork that invents its own viewpoint of the events that transpired over two centuries ago. The based-on-legend tale begins on a stunning note as Fronsac and Mani come upon and old man and his daughter being beaten by a mob for witchcraft. Mani, played by martial arts champion Dacascos (TV's "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven"), proceeds to kick ass and take names in a thrilling one-man battle as he defeats all comers. The images of the fight, shot with crystal clarity by lenser Dan Laustsen, flow between real-time and slow motion as the Native American warrior and medicine man uses his staff to stop the mob's nefarious plans.

The story doesn't try to sustain the energetic tempo of the start but does keep a brisk pace (not an easy task in a 140 minute film) throughout. Gans is directing a large ensemble cast, with many principle players, in an effects extravaganza and he mostly succeeds. There are a few too many threads to the tapestry of tales in "Brotherhood of the Wolf" and some are not as focused and developed as others, something that would be fixed by a bit of judicious editing. This is the main problem with "Brotherhood" and does keep the film from attained the overall excellence that the technical details warrant.

Praise must be ladled out liberally for the outstanding technical credits in "Brotherhood of the Wolf. The brilliantly innovative photography by Dan Laustsen is captivating in its color palate, clarity and, in some scenes, beautiful works of art that could hang in the Museum of Fine Arts. Sound effects (by Leslie Shatz, Patrick Dodd, Nicolas Becker and Fabrice Conesa Alcolea) have a hyper-clarity that matches up perfectly to the photography. The Beast F/X are provided by Jim Henson's Creatures Shop and are an amalgam of a snarling, slathering wolf-like creature that sure would put terror into the hearts of the local peasants. The score, by Joseph Lo Duca, is enjoyably dominated by the dulcet tones of a dulcimer. Fight choreography, by Hong Kong import Philip Kwok, is outstanding to watch - even if the angry mob always attacks the good guy one man at a time. (Why is it that the mob never seems to realize that, if they all rush the hero at once, he can't kill them all?)

Samuel le Bihan and Mark Dacascos, as Fronsac and Mani, are King Louie's version of the Green Hornet and Kato and the actors command the screen. Le Bihan comes across perfectly as the young, but extremely intelligent, educated and capable scientist who eschews the supernatural myth about the Beast. Dacascos, throughout the film, provides a fluidity of movement and quiet dignity to his role as the fighting shaman. The actor holds a presence on the screen with little need to voice himself, especially when he can make his point quite markedly with his hands and feet. The rest of the large cast to their jobs well, overall. Monica Bellucci ("Malena") is gorgeous as Gevaudan's premier courtesan and Fronsac's seductress. Emilie Dequenne gives a new millennial spin to her role as the spoiled, but quite able, rich kid who falls for Fronsac (and vice versa). The only false note in the casting is Vincent Cassel as the dark, brooding, secretive one-armed Jean Françoise, which is too bad as this character is quite significant to the story.

The combination of monster tale (the influence of "Jaws" and "Predator" are obvious), great techs, solid performances, cool F/X and an assured hand at the helm make "Brotherhood of the Wolf" a must see film on the big screen. The shortcomings keep it from being a great flick but there is still plenty going for it. I give it a B+.

For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com

robin@reelingreviews.com
laura@reelingreviews.com

==========
X-RAMR-ID: 30782
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 278600
X-RT-TitleID: 1111814
X-RT-SourceID: 386
X-RT-AuthorID: 1488
X-RT-RatingText: B+