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Director: Christophe Gans
Release Date: 2002 (in the US)
Rating: R for strong violence and gore, and sexuality/nudity.
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 What was that?
Labeling this movie is impossible. I would like to see the guy in the video store trying to categorize this movie when it hits Blockbuster:
- Is it a horror? Yes.
- Is it an adventure? Oh, yeah.
- Mystery? You betcha.
- Drama? Definitely.
- Erotic? Very.
- Foreign? French.
- Comedy? Not in the least.
That's it! If the guy can put it anywhere other than comedy, he'll do just fine.
Brotherhood of the Wolf takes place in France during the 1700's. A mysterious beast that preys mainly on women and children has plagued a small village in the South. As opposed to killing people in a clean, quick manner, this beast leaves its victims completely torn apart. Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his silent Iroquois friend, Mani (Mark Dacascos), are sent to find and kill the beast.
This sounds simple enough, right? Well, that doesn't even scratch the surface. On their hunt, Gregoire and Mani discover that the origins of the beast run deeper than they (or any of the viewers) could possibly have imagined. I'd say more, but part of what makes this movie worth watching is the element of the unknown.
Not for the light-hearted
On a scale of 1 to 10, the violence factor of Brotherhood scores a 9.9. There is unabashed fighting, blood, gore, chewing, gnashing, cracking, and let's not forget the crunching.
One of the more notable elements throughout the movie is the sound effects. All sounds are exaggerated in such a way that every movement- particularly violent ones- hit with ten times the impact that they normally would. Although this can be very intriguing as horses gallop, rain splatters, and wolves howl; it is all the more disturbing when a girl gets slammed against a rock, thrown off a mountain, and then ripped into shreds. Although you may not see the girl actually getting torn to bits, the noise of it will haunt you long after the deed is done.
Cinematography on a whole new level
The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon took the way action movies are filmed and threw them for a loop. Brotherhood seeks to do the same while continuing to create a whole new style.
Christophe Gans (Director) did an incredible job with this movie. There is the ever-popular sudden switch to slow motion during a fast-paced sequence, but we also see in Brotherhood some complete stops. These stops happen at moments when the full expression of a character's face sums up the tone of the scene. This makes the rush of emotions even more intense. By the time that one scene fades to the next, the central action often isn't even shown, but unmistakably alluded to through dramatic visual and sound effects.
Though this could be frustrating to viewers and leave them feeling deprived of actually witnessing the final act, Brotherhood is filmed in such a way as to allow the audience to be a part of the scene on a new level of the senses.
Although this is the first film I have seen by Christophe Gans, Brotherhood demonstrates that he is well on his way to becoming a master of suspense.
Could a Frenchman and an Indian ally? Sure.
One of the outstanding plot lines of the movie follows the companionship between the two main characters - Gregoire, a Frenchman, and Mani, an Iroquois from the Americas. Throughout their friendship, Gregoire and Mani have influenced each other with their cultures, and while Mani has learned to speak French and adopt the customs of the land, Gregoire in turn has taken on much of the Iroquois religion and customs.
The filmmakers did a great job of portraying Mani's customs. This is a unique storyline that reflects the shifting philosophy of the era, as Europeans become more aware of the rest of the world, and the rest of the world cringes at their expansion.
The excitement never ends... I mean never
This movie runs a bit long and is never boring. So while you're wondering if the drama is ever going to end with the constant plot twists and action sequences, the intensity can be draining rather than climactic. This movie probably could have been about a half hour shorter and still had the same effect.
The movie is in French with English subtitles and if you aren't paying attention you're likely to miss something pivotal. If you can get past this, and if you can get past the gory violence, unnerving suspense, and ultimate horror, then you might find Brother of the Wolf to be to your liking.
Related Links:
Brotherhood of the Wolf Official Site
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