One of the most heavily criticized types of films is the remake. The most common criticism is that there is no reason to remake something that already exists and can still be accessed. While this is heavily lobbied at the live-action Disney films of today, the complaint has been around for a long time. And while I imagine that fans of the original Wolfman film from the classic horror films look down on this movie, I have to say that it delivers a satisfying package.
One thing to note about the remake is the inclusion of more bloody kills. While I haven't seen the original Wolfman, I imagine that the film practices of the day had tame kills in the same vein as Frankenstein and Dracula. But here, and especially in the unrated cut which I watched, the mostly practical effects make for some great gore, even if most of it is caused by simple slashes to the body and neck. There are some noticeable moments of CGI blood spurts and transformation sequences, but that doesn't stop the rest of the action from being pretty good.
The cast also does a great job, which is to be expected from so many big names: Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving all give great performances, as well as the more minor characters. In addtion, the set designs and costumes are amazing as well. The manor in particular has a great, creepy design.
One thing I did find very lacking is the character of Gwen. While Blunt is an amazing actress and her performance is still good, she doesn't do much in the film besides be the love interest. It's a shame, because the setup in the beginning of her husband being one of the Wolfman's victims would make for a cool Van Helsing-style character driven by revenge to parallel Weaving's more lawful take on the character. In addition, her inclusion in the final act greatly added to that unwanted romance element. But if you can look past that fairly sizable flaw, I see no reason to look down on this movie. It's a fun watch, and I don't see why its score is just 5.8.
