I went into The Wolfman with mixed expectations. On the one hand, I like werewolf stories, love Hugo Weaving and Anthony Hopkins, and am quite alright with looking at Emily Blunt; on the other, I have a strong dislike of Benicio del Toro, and director Joe Johnston is an iffy proposition in my book. That being said...I loved it.

The Wolfman is, of course, a remake of the 1941 film which starred Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi. This updated version differs in setup and location, with Lawrence Talbot (del Toro) returning to his home in Blackmoor, England (the original took place in Llanwelly, Wales) after his brother is killed by a wild animal or, as the residents of the village surmise, a psycho. The same creature--a werewolf--later attacks and turns Lawrence into the titular Wolfman.

I found the first half, maybe three-quarters, of the movie very spooky. The village of Blackmoor is creepy in that it is never quite fully lit, always foggy, and inhabited by some seriously creepy people. Naturally, there is also a gypsy camp nearby, which added to the atmosphere for me, having played a good bit of Quest for Glory as a kid. And while there is a healthy amount of blood-n-guts, Johnston wisely uses classic horror movie methods of startling and frightening the audience, rather than the easier, less-satisfying, modern method of throwing buckets of blood at the audience. Towards the end it moves away from that and more into action mode, but it feels natural when the transition occurs.

I stated earlier in the review that I don’t like Benicio del Toro, and that still stands after seeing The Wolfman. However, this is probably the best acting I’ve ever seen from him. He’s not just being himself like he normally does, he really disappears into the character. Anthony Hopkins is undeniably one of the greatest actors living, and while he’s clearly just having fun in this role, it worked for me. Emily Blunt was surprisingly impressive in her role as the dead brother’s fiance; perhaps less impressive for those more familiar with her work, but my only exposure to her was in The Devil Wears Prada, which wasn’t exactly a showcase role. Hugo Weaving is the weak link in the cast, not because he acted poorly, but his character, Inspector Francis Aberline (of Jack the Ripper fame), is largely wasted. When he’s on screen he’s the best thing there, but he’s just unnecessary.

Director Joe Johnston has made some stinkers--Jurassic Park 3, anyone?--but also some good, solid movies (Hidalgo; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), and a couple great ones (Jumanji, The Rocketeer). I won’t go so far as to say that The Wolfman is a great movie--it is, after all, a werewolf movie--but it is greatly entertaining, and well worth a watch, assuming you like horror movies.