I am the Wolfman, goo goo g'joob

Never saw the original, but it's not like this movie has never been redone in any form before. In this version, a scientist gets infected with a genetic retro-virus that is activated on receiving a specific amount of reflected sunlight and leads to fact-acting mutations...

Ha! Nah, just kidding. Guy gets bitten by wolf. Guy becomes a wolf. It's a classic tale of man getting in touch with his bestial side. This movie doesn't waste a lot of time on the plot, although there is some. But it's largely there as an excuse to get on with the wolf attack scenes, and that's what we came for.

While the plot is weak, the effects are strong. Rick Baker knows what he's doing, and this is the movie he's been waiting for. We've seen many werewolf movies, and seen much bad makeup, but this is excellent and the wolfman is completely believable (in so far as a wolfman can be believable). You, too, will believe that Benicio Del Toro needs a shave. There are a number of wolf attacks, and they're all good.

Anthony Hopkins, surprisingly, doesn't steal the movie away, and has a rather restrain presence. Hugo Weaving is clearly having fun and gets some of the best lines (although I would like to see a movie putting him up against Sam Neil, just to see how could out smarm the other...). Emily Blunt isn't that impressive as the forced love interest, and Art Malik has dignity the rest of the movie doesn't bother with (who needs dignity, we got wolfmen!).

This isn't a movie you have to see, but if you do then have expectations set suitably for the type of movie. Plot blah, wolfman thumbs up.

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