The Wolfman (2010)
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An actor returns to his ancestral home following his brother's murder, only to be bitten by a werewolf and cursed with the same fate.
The story
In 1891, after the brutal murder of Ben Talbot in the woods of Blackmoor, his brother Lawrence returns to his ancestral home in England to reunite with his estranged father, Sir John. While exploring the family estate, Lawrence recalls childhood memories of his mother's death and his own subsequent mental health struggles. The town is gripped by fear of a local werewolf, a legend that seems to be resurfacing. During a visit to a local Romani camp, Lawrence is attacked by a werewolf and bitten, beginning a terrifying transformation that threatens his humanity and the safety of those around him.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1891, Ben Talbot is murdered by a werewolf in Blackmoor. His brother Lawrence returns home to find his father, Sir John, and begins to experience delusions regarding their mother's death. During a raid on a Romani camp, Lawrence is bitten by a werewolf. While recovering, he develops heightened senses and vitality. Inspector Francis Aberline investigates Lawrence, suspecting him due to his mental history. Lawrence eventually discovers that his father, Sir John, was the original werewolf who bit him twenty-five years prior during a hunting expedition in India. Sir John, now insane, intends to let himself loose. Lawrence attempts to protect Ben's fiancée, Gwen, but eventually transforms and goes on a rampage, killing a doctor and several orderlies. Lawrence and Sir John eventually face off at Talbot Hall. Sir John sabotages Lawrence's silver bullets, and both transform into werewolves during a fight that sets the hall on fire. Lawrence decapitates Sir John. Finally, Lawrence spares Gwen's life before she shoots him to end his curse, and he dies in her arms.
- First release year
- 2010
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joe Johnston
- Writers
- Andrew Kevin Walker · screenplay; David Self · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Benicio del Toro · Lawrence; Anthony Hopkins · Sir John; Emily Blunt · Gwen Conliffe; Hugo Weaving · Aberline
- Genres
- Gothic horror; supernatural horror; monster movies; historical horror
- Themes
- curse; family secrets; mental health; transformation
- Tone and mood
- atmospheric; melodramatic; grand
- Premise and plot tags
- remake; monster movie; horror; historical
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Wolf Man (1941)
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews and was a financial failure, though its makeup received praise.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 32% · review count: 220; Metacritic · score: 43 · scale: 100 · review count: 36; CinemaScore · score: C+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · best make-up · win
- Production trivia
- The werewolf's howl incorporated elements from rock singers Gene Simmons and David Lee Roth, as well as opera singers and animal impersonators.; The makeup took three hours to apply and one hour to remove.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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