Brotherhood of the Wolf

An action epic? A mystery film? A political drama? A period romance? Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) answers with a resounding "yes" to all of these questions. And it even adds kung fu, an invincible Native American warrior, and a courtesan spy, because why not? While some might turn up their noses at its anachronistic approach and insistence on firing in all directions, the truth is that the film does so with undeniable style. The result is a visual and narrative spectacle that, even while stumbling over its ambitions, delivers an experience as extravagant as it is fascinating.

The plot unfolds in 18th-century France, where a monstrous creature terrorizes the Gévaudan region, killing women and children without anyone managing to capture it. To solve the problem, the king sends Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan), a naturalist who never misses a chance to showcase his talents. Alongside him is Mani (Mark Dacascos), a stoic Iroquois warrior whose quiet demeanor is compensated by his powerful presence and lethal moves. As they investigate, the two discover that the beast may be the least of their problems, as behind the attacks lies a conspiracy with deeper roots than expected.

If the story weren't already a whirlwind of influences, Christophe Gans' direction makes sure to amplify that feeling. The film has the energy of a modern blockbuster, with action scenes worthy of a samurai film, well-choreographed sequences, and a generous-sometimes excessive-use of slow motion. Some sequences feel straight out of Jaws, like the tense attempt to capture the beast, while others evoke tales of aristocratic conspiracy, reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. There are even creative visual transitions that add extra charm, such as the image of a naked woman's body transforming into a snowy landscape. It's a film that isn't afraid to experiment.

But while Brotherhood of the Wolf succeeds in creating a stylish and immersive universe, it falters in developing its political conspiracy. The idea of an aristocratic cult using the beast as an instrument of social control is brilliant, but poorly explored. The film mentions that the king is being indulgent with philosophers and that the church's influence is at risk, but it never shows us concrete signs of this decay. There are no scenes of empty churches, priests worried about losing followers, or nobles desperate to hold onto their positions. The conspiracy is exposed, but its motivations remain vague, which diminishes the impact of the revelation. The main villain, Jean-François (Vincent Cassel), suffers from the same issue: he has a strong presence, a mysterious past, and a disabled arm, but his motivation boils down to frustration and an incestuous obsession with his sister. A threatening figure? Yes. A well-developed antagonist? Not so much.

In the end, Brotherhood of the Wolf stands on the strength of its inspired direction, its charismatic lead, and especially Mani, whose silent presence and lethal skill make him one of the film's standout characters. The film may not tie all of its ideas together perfectly, but it compensates with a unique visual identity, memorable action scenes, and an irresistible charm. It aims in all directions and, even if it misses some targets, still manages to hit the jugular.

Brotherhood of the Wolf is all over the place. It's a French Revolution/ horror/ martial arts epic with style to burn, and makes up for the gaping holes in its story with sheer energy and sensory assault. Director Christophe Gans packs every moment of Brotherhood of the Wolf with either bone crunching action, (imagine if John Woo had directed Dangerous Liaisons), or some crazy audio / visual effects or busy scenes with beautiful people. Gans knows how to amuse the eye, he just isn't much of a storyteller, but Brotherhood of the Wolf is so entertaining that we'll forgive him just this once.

Candle-lit interior cinematography, lush misty landscapes, strong characters, exquisite costumes, an authentic boudoir recreation of 18th century French society, a new kind of savage 'monster' and some of the finest stylized fight scenes ever laid down in a 'genre' film, place "Brotherhood of the Wolf" among the classiest horror adventure films of all time.

Great moments include the culminating rage of Samuel Le Bihan's gentlemanly character 'Fronsac' who explodes into a Conan-like fury as he meets out 'justice' to those that wronged his Iroquois-Mohawk 'blood brother' played by Marc Dacascos, Vincent Cassel suitably creepy as the decadent 'Morangias', sensuous Monica Belluci as the dangerous and vicious 'Sylvia', interesting historical plot-points, and a bond of friendship between an unlikely pair of frontier adventurers, make director Christopher Gans "Brotherhood of the Wolf" an original masterpiece of 'genre' film-making...

Le Pacte des Loups is a fairly impressive movie. What other movie can spend two and a half hours on a ravaging monster fought by a scientist and his loyal Iroqois "brother" in 18th century France, and keep its audience enraptured? Its plot is a bit obscure in places, admittedly, leaving the audience not so much in suspense as confusion, but this is the unconventionality that comes with such a unique work. The acting was a bit above average, the actors and actresses combining well with the enchanting atmosphere and succeeding in making memorable characters. The score also contributes to the film's mysterious mood, and great cinematography (although occasionally overdone) helps it out too. While all this goes a long way to making a great film, it is the dazzling action sequences that make it a classic. The choreography is great, the sound effects make you feel as if you're standing a foot away, and the mystery of the movie is such that nearly every battle's outcome is uncertain. If the romance is trite, a few lines seem out of place, and the plot falters a bit, overall, this is still quite a movie to watch if you're looking for a lot of adventure and action. [8/10]

This is a grandiose monster movie from France that delivers the perfect blend of slick style and unsophisticated, gothic melodrama to make it one of the most appealing film fantasies in a long while. The international success of the film is not hard to understand; it's exhilarating in the same way that the old Hammer horror films were in their heyday. Everything about this elaborate movie is terrifically tacky, particularly the stunning production design. It's like seeing those artless, wilderness paintings containing hidden animal images come to life. The characters come off as if they were lifted right off of some garish paperback romance-novel cover. Best of all, the film has some nifty flourishes of sex and violence sadly missing from the current spate of half-baked, PG-13 Hollywood product. While some seem to be complaining of one martial-arts fight too many, faulty creature effects or simple-minded plotting; in this case, it's like bitching about KING KONG being over the top. This is a contemporary B-movie (albeit an expensive, subtitled one) for those who appreciate a good time at the movies. It delivers the kind of satisfaction audiences used to get seeing the work of Mario Bava or Ray Harryhausen; and that's saying a lot!