Brotherhood of the Wolf (R, 2001)

BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF takes place around the time of the French Revolution. A ferocious beast has been killing hundreds of people in a creepy little town in the south of France called Gevaudan. Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) has been sent by the King of France to find and kill the rampaging beast. At Fronsac's side is his blood-brother and close companion, Mani (Mark Dacascos), a member of the Iroquois tribe. Fronsac befriended Mani in the New World, and has brought him to France to help investigate the mysterious killings. Marianne (Emilie Duquenne) is the object of Fronsac's amorous affections. But she is also the object of another man's obsession. That man is Jean-Francois (Vincent Cassel) – who also just happens to be Marianne's brother. The story follows Fronsac on the trail of the killings. Will he get his man (or should we say, beast)? And if he does, what has motivated the killings? What (or who) is good, and what (or who) is evil?

Some may say that only a guy could enjoy Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte des Loupes). After all, the movie contains lots of guy elements: gore, martial-arts, and werewolves. But, there's more to this movie than blood and guts, and although it has its flaws, it's worth seeing. There are many aspects of this movie that make it both aesthetically pleasing and intellectually stimulating, as well as a bloody thriller. The scenery and costumes are gorgeous, there are some great martial arts scenes, and the sound effects provide an intriguing element that adds to the movie's depth. Also, the audience is forced to really think about who the bad guys are, and there are no easy answers.

The movie does have its flaws, though none can be characterized as fatal. It was hard to believe, for example, that Mani, an Iroquois Indian could be an expert martial artist in the 18th century. Also, slow-motion shots were used so often that they became tedious, and the movie seemed to run on about twenty minutes too long. Finally, the movie delivers too much information to the audience. There are things we just didn't need to know, and that didn't contribute to the overall story and effect.

Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Christophe Gans
Cast: Mark Dacascos, Monica Bellucci, Samuel Le Bihan
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 144 minutes
Theatrical release: January 1, 2001
DVD release: October 1, 2002
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: strong violence and gore, and sexuality/nudity