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BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF

A MAN-EATING MONSTER TERRORIZES A FRENCH VILLAGE



★★★★★ (A Must-See)

Director: Christophe Gans

2001



Brotherhood of the Wolf is not just a great horror film—it’s a great film, period. This story about a creature hunting down humans in pre-revolution France is so decadent, you’ll feel like you’re sitting down to a six-course meal with royalty. It isn’t just for the bourgeois film fanatic, though. The movie’s twists and turns will appeal to any mere mortal who enjoys bromance, art-house theatrics, mystery, romance with a rake, martial arts, revenge, socio-political commentary, sexy Monica Bellucci, historical intrigue, and flesh-eating monsters created by Jim Henson’s puppet company. Among its many positives, there’s breathtaking cinematography and costume design; and sound editing that allows you to hear every single raindrop. But style doesn’t take away from the terrifying tale, don’t be fooled by the artistry. In Brotherhood of the Wolf, the blood flows as much as the Bordeaux.


Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) has just returned to France after exploring America to document and draw the flora and fauna for King Louis XV of France. Despite his cavalier attitude and cockiness, he proves to be a rogue with a heart of gold after defending his best friend Mani, a Native American who is traveling with him. When aristocrats gaze at Mani (Mark Dacascos) with sneering suspicion, Fronsac insists without hesitation that Mani may not share his blood but they are brothers through and through. They’re also a lethal duo as evidenced by their arrival when they use their martial-arts savviness to save a woman from being killed by villagers. This scene is famous for slow-motion raindrops and visceral action. Turn the volume up and you’ll feel like you’re there.



Mani and Fronsac’s arrival in the small French town is not by accident. They’ve been sent by the king to the area to report on the monster who is killing men, women, and children. As our protagonist investigates and begins to suspect human involvement, two women take a liking to him for very different reasons. A mystical courtesan (Bellucci) warns him to leave, and the sweet but tough daughter of a local aristocrat is vetting him as a potential suitor. Of course, the two hunters soon become the hunted, and what starts out as a werewolf chase turns into a vengeful massacre rivaling Tarantino’s films. To say more would pull the threads that hold the mystery together.


The beast is clearly meant to represent the shadow of menace crawling across France in the way of the French Revolution, and we get these hints in the form of our narrator, a mysterious man whose identity and fate we discover at the end. Despite so much thrown into Brotherhood of the Wolf—history, autopsies, mutilations, mayhem, and love—it winds up simply being an elegant movie that will stand the test of time.






GENRES: Atmospheric, Diverse Characters, Feminist-Friendly, Monster/Creature


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