Brotherhood of the Wolf (2002)
Directed by Christophe Gans, Brotherhood of the Wolf
is an odd yet captivating film which blends a number of different
styles and genres. The setting is in the remote countryside of
18th-century France, where the hero Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel
Le Bihan), veteran of the French-Indian war in America, is sent
to investigate attacks by a strange wolf-like beast. Accompanying
him is his loyal friend Mina (Mark Dacascos), a Native American
warrior and last survivor of a tribe wiped out in the wars. Fronsac's
endeavors, however, are handicapped by meddlesome locals (who
may know more about what is going on that they admit) as well
as political edicts from close to the crown itself. Further distracting
Fronsac is his blossoming romance with the local squire's daughter
Marianne (Emilie Dequenne).
Fabulously well-acted, the story is a complex, even bizarre brew
of intrigue, paganism, romance, horror thrills, and fight scenes.
The style of the film is likewise bizarre. Mina engages in hand-to-hand
combat with local gypsies, with fighting techniques which look
conspicuously like Asian martial arts (causing one to ask exactly
where an American Iroquois learned to fight this way). Fronsac,
meanwhile, finds an ally in the form of a local prostitute who
likes cutting him with knives when they are in the boudoir together.
The film is beautifully photographed by Dan Lusten, who lends
a nice, "buttery" look to the candlelit interiors.
The editing, however, is often goofy, and uses the Matrix
gimmick of mixing fast and slow-motion within a single shot.
The "beast" of the film, when finally glimpsed, looks
perfectly convincing close-up (where it is an animatronic creation
of Jim Henson's Creature Shop). In long-shot, however, it rarely
proves convincing.
The score by Joseph Lo Duca (Xena: Warrior Princess) is
a percussive ethno-New Age effort, largely electronic but effective,
nonetheless. The DVD comes with the option of watching the movie
with English dubbing or the original French dialog. Some interesting
supplements are provided too, most notably deleted scenes (each
prefaced with commentary from the director) as well as the theatrical
trailer and some production notes.
For all its strange brew, Brotherhood of the Wolf never
fails to hold one's interest. Although its disparate mix of elements
seems, at times, random and disconnected, it is full of unexpected
twists and turns. The mood of the film is seductive and expressionistic,
keeping you on the edge of your seat for most of its two and
a half hour duration.
Paul Andrew MacLean
© 2004
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