By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Christophe Gans
Starring: Emilie Dequenne | Monica Belluci | Samuel Le Bihan | Vincent Cassel
Original language title: Les Pacts des Loups
Country: france
Year: 2002
Running time: 142
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0237534
Bob says: “I thought it had a lot of style, and that it had clearly been influenced by Besson and the folks behind THE MATRIX (who were in turn influenced by just about everybody in Hong Kong). However, I also thought it was trite, melodramatic, and full of archaic ‘noble savage’ nonsense.
“I’d have to say that after having a good time with the first couple of action sequences, I was alternately bored and amused by it. I guess it just wasn’t what I was looking for that day, since I’m usually very willing to accept style without much substance, so long as there’s lots of style. But I would certainly agree that ‘gonzo’ is a great word for it.”
Howard says: “I really liked this film and thought it was a lot of fun. Nothing serious, of course, but indeed very stylized and, I thought, very beautiful to watch. It was an amusement park movie. I would definitely recommend it to people who like escapism.”
Laura says: “The Gans/Cabel screenplay successfully intertwines a buddy horror adventure with socio-political commentary. Production design by Guy-Claude Francois (CAPITAINE CONAN) is artful, recalling everything from lush, autumnal Hammer Horrors to Neil Jordan’s fantastical COMPANY OF WOLVES We’re treated to such stunning visions as the naked back of a woman dissolving into a snowy landscape or a mirror becoming the doorway for a glittery dream sequence. The film is beautifully edited, although Gans does allow his conclusion to run on too long.” 4 cats
For Laura’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/brotherhoodofthewolf.htm”
Robin says: “The story doesn’t try to sustain the energetic tempo of the start but does keep a brisk pace (not an easy task in a 140 minute film) throughout. Gans is directing a large ensemble cast, with many principle players, in an effects extravaganza and he mostly succeeds. There are a few too many threads to the tapestry of tales in BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF and some are not as focused and developed as others, something that would be fixed by a bit of judicious editing. This is the main problem with BROTHERHOOD and does keep the film from attained the overall excellence that the technical details warrant.” 4 cats
For Robin’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/brotherhoodofthewolf.htm”
Stephen says: “This would be another candidate for the ‘Triumph of Style over Substance Award,’ should we ever institute such a thing. Unlike Bob, I was irritated by it from the heavy breathing get-go, but then found myself able to enjoy random moments here and there. But I’m really getting fed up with the increasing quantities of narrative incoherence we’re being offered in movie theaters lately.”