Brotherhood of the Wolf - Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) Reviews

• Magnificent folly, way ahead of its time

  
  By AFOK05KDCHSHL on 2003-03-24
  BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF (Le Pacte des Loups, 2001): In 18th century France, a brave young naturalist (Samuel Le Bihan [TROIS COULEURS ROUGE]) and his Native American companion (Mark Dacascos [DRIVE]) are hired to trace the origins of a bloodthirsty 'beast' which has been terrorizing the countryside, killing women and children. But their investigations uncover an appalling conspiracy which cuts to the very heart of French high society...

  Loosely based on true events, this high-powered Gallic blockbuster - directed by Christophe Gans, hired on the strength of his incredible genre-bending adaptation of CRYING FREEEMAN - wowed French audiences when released in 2001. And no wonder! A high-kicking combination of horror movie, period drama, political thriller and 'Matrix'-inspired kung fu pageant, the film combines the best elements of these disparate sub-genres in a dazzling display of technical wizardry. Photographed in widescreen Super 35 by Dan Laustsen (MIMIC, THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN), and played with solemn conviction by an all-star cast - including relative newcomers Vincent Cassel (LA HAINE), Monica Bellucci (the MATRIX sequels) and Jeremie Renier (LES AMANTS CRIMINELS), and veterans Jean Yanne (most recently seen in BELLE MAMAN) and Edith Scob (the elegant heroine of Franju's LES YEUX SANS VISAGE) - the movie is a riot of action and intrigue, sustained by a multilayered screenplay (co-authored by Gans and Stephane Cabel) which recounts an elaborate fable of class warfare and religious bigotry during a grim period of French history. The fight scenes - choreographed with ruthless efficiency by Hong Kong movie veteran Phillip Kwok (MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE, HARD-BOILED, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, etc.) - are fashioned with elegant grace, and edited to perfection by Sebastien Prangere and David Wu Dai-wai (another prominent HK movie figure, Ronny Yu Yan-tai's current editor of choice). Much of the film's otherworldly visual texture is due to the sumptuous art direction (by Guy-Claude Francois [JEFFERSON IN PARIS]) and costume design (by Dominique Borg), which roots proceedings in a recognizable period 'style', despite Gans' resolutely modern approach to the material. It shouldn't work, but it does, somehow. The 'explanation' for the beast and its murderous activities - which takes into account a wide range of modern research into the story of an animal which really DID terrorize the French countryside during the 18th century - forms the backbone of the entire production, and while much of the film is a rip-roaring joy, the climactic sequences are offset by an element of tragedy and sadness, which thoroughly distinguishes the movie from most of its Hollywood counterparts. All in all, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF is a magnificent folly, way ahead of its time, and quite unlike anything ever made before.

  This review is based on a viewing of the Canadian disc from TVR Films which presents the original French version in its entirety (the international version, including the one released in the US and UK, appears to be shorter by about 10 minutes) and runs 150m 34s, minus the logos which open the video print and weren't part of the original production, and letterboxes the scope frame at 2.35:1 (anamorphically enhanced). The US disc - a region 1 release from Universal - is a no-frills affair which features a letterboxed anamorphic version of the shorter print, and some reviews suggest it's a better-looking transfer than the one featured on the Canadian disc. Captions and subtitles are provided. The Canadian version, however, is a 3-disc spectacular, and features (amongst many other things) an extremely frank documentary on the making of the film which opens with an actress being clobbered during an accident on-set, and proceeds to outline the various obstacles which constantly threatened the production schedule (not least the unpredictable weather during location shooting) and ultimately strained relations between director Gans and co-producer Samuel Hadida. That such a remarkable film emerged from these traumatic circumstances says much about the talent and dedication of these extraordinary gentlemen and all those who helped bring their unique vision to the silver screen. A triumph.
  
  

• Quite the exceptional French Action/Horror film:

  
  By A360HH9WL7IAF2 on 2002-06-24
  Largely based on actual events taking place during the reign of King Louis XV, Brotherhood of the Wolf is an 18th-century-era tale of the mysterious "Beast of Gevaudan" that left a trail of mutilated victims (mostly women and children) and spread wholesale terror amongst the peasants in southeast France before its eradication under somewhat mysterious circumstances.
  In the film, King Louis XV assigns a young detective Gregoire de Fronsac (Le Bihan) and his partner Mani (Mark Dacascos), a Mohawk Indian to investigate the mysterious creature.

  The incredibly lavish, numbered limited edition 3-disk French DVD release included:
  1. Production Notes
  2. Audio commentary by Director Christophe Gans, actors Samuel Le Bihan and Vincent Cassel
  3. An 80-minute "Making of... " featurette
  4. A 36-minute editing featurette of Cut scenes
  5. Clips of plans not used
  6. Interview of Historian Michel Louis
  7. Theatrical trailers
  8. A 24-page booklet
  9. a 90-minute documentary on 'Turning'
  10. Deleted scenes, trailers, storyboards, stills, posters, production notes, a press kit and DVD-Rom content.

  Chances are slim that purchasers of the Region 1 US version will be treated to the same fine accompaniments.
  
  

• A truly entertaining historical action movie from France

  
  By A4N0NS6ZF7PX5 on 2001-12-21
  We (Husband Steve and myself) had expected a 'normal' werewolf story, but we were in for a pleasant surprise!
  Steve did not mind reading the subtitles and I am lucky enough to understand French, so we both left the cinema very happy indeed. The plot centres around a mystical beast said to be roaming the forest and killing women and children and is based on a true story in late 18th century France. It is said that still today local historians do not know what exactly the beast was, but the killings stopped all of a sudden, so the beast must have somehow been hunted down and killed. The makers of the film made sure their research was solid enough to make the story plausible, and as for the setting, the costumes,the atmospere, the colours, the language and the portrayal of French aristocracy and life in that period of time just before the French Revolution is lively and full of suspense. The main characters of the story are the noble Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his taciturn Native American companion and blood brother Mani (Mark Dacascos) who have been asked by the French king to investigate the story of the Beast in the French region of Gévaudan. There they meet an amazing assembly of nobles who in spite of the killings do not seem altogether interested in uncovering the truth, but more in getting rid of the investigators and going back to leading their normal lives - the reason for which becomes apparent later on in the plot. Even the love interest between de Fronsac and Marianne de Morangias (Emilie Dequenne) does not slow things down as so often happens in films of that nature, and the witty dialogues are a pleasure to follow.
  There is a lot of mysticism involved, be it through the character of J.François Morangias (brother of Marianne, Vincent Cassel) whose travels had led him to Africa where he lost one of his arms while hunting and who will do anything to keep his sister from harm - or men like de Fronsac, or the amazingly impressing representation of a Native American's way of looking at life, nature and people, and as an extra bonus the action scenes are superbly done.
  So, it goes almost without saying that the character that impressed us most was the taciturn Mohawk Indian and the way Mark Dacascos managed to portray him as an almost supernatural being linked to nature and animals and seemingly removed and existing on a totally different spiritual level.
  We wholeheartedly recommend this film, it is full of action, suspense, drama, a must!!
  
  

• Special Features

  
  By A3LBE64YOXLR3E on 2004-01-06
  3 DISC SPECIAL EDITION

  Special Features
  (all special features are in French WITH English subtitles unless otherwise noted)

  :: Two Commentaries (in French with NO English subs)
  :by actors Samuel Le Bihan and Vincent Cassel
  :by director Christophe Gans
  :: Deleted Scenes
  :: "The Guts of the Beast" Documentary - 78 min.
  :: "Behind the Scenes" Documentary - 78 min.
  :: Filmographies
  :: Trailer
  :: "The Legend" Documentary
  :: Storyboards
  :: Photo Gallery
  :: Production Notes Booklet
  
  

• Fabulous original fairy tale of the old style

  
  By AKDXXW89ZLCJS on 2003-04-10
  As an American I was apalled at the cheap DVD release they did of this film in the states, especially after hearing about the French release. Imagine my delight to see that Canada also had a 3 disc set that I could buy.
  I've studied French since I was young and while not conversant in it I still have some basic understanding of this beautiful language. I enjoyed all the extras and only wished my French was much better so I could listen to the commentaries. But the good news is that most of the extras have subtitles so if you do not speak French do not worry!
  I also much prefered the English subtitles to the English dubbing. The dubbing sounded phoney, and it chops the dialogue up much worse than subtitles do. When are people going to actually hire voice actors who sound convincing as the charcters of the film? Anyway...
  This is one of the most facinating films I have ever seen, not since Neil Jordan's "The Company of Wolves" has a film so captured the spirt of the fairy tales and legends of old, not the sanitized versions we now see today. The cast is brilliant especially Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel both were just riveting. The plot was intriquing to the very end. If I have to criticize anything I think the sword fight at the end felt too forced and a bit artificial due to the special effects of the blade not being convincing enough. Other than that I will always consider this one of the best films I have ever seen!
  
  
• A beautiful horror kung fu action period film from France
  By A2NJO6YE954DBH on 2003-01-14
  Wow, they certainly tossed just about everything into the pot in making this one, including the French Revolution. "Le Pacte des Loups" starts off as a exquisitely photographed costume drama/horror flick set in 18th century France with a poor peasant girl being hunted down by an unseen beast. My first thought that this was a beautiful film, more reminiscent of a Jane Austen period piece than a horror flick from Hammer Studio. But then our hero, Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his faithful Indian companion, Mani (Mark Dacasos), show up and we suddenly discover the film is also a cross between "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." However, since this is movie based on a legend regarding a huge wolf ravaging the French countryside, this hardly seems the time to insist upon a standard of realism.

  The collaboration between director Christophe Gans and cinematographer Dan Laustsen results in some beautiful and memorable camera shots (most notably, as the camera tracks up a woman's nude body it morphs into snow covered terrain), often playing with time and movement to great effect. In the deleted scenes Gans provides a sort of mini-commentary on the film that is quite interesting in terms of setting up the film's dynamic, especially regarding the opening sequence originally conceived for the film and the scene that replace it. Laustsen is the cinematographer on upcoming "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," and my assumption is that when I see that film I will have a better sense of who contributed the most to "Brotherhood of the Wolf."

  The film was edited Xavier Loutreuil and Sébastien Prangère, with David Wu doing the Hong Kong kung fu fight sequences, which are impresive because they do not, for the most part, violate the realism of the time, which is a way of saying the wire work is extremely limited and understated. I also like the way Fronsac's love triangle is color coded: Marianne de Morangias (Émilie Dequenne) is a redhead often dressed in a red uniform while the raven haired Sylvia (Monica Bellucci) always wears black. The rouge/noir opposition works well in contrast to the blues, browns and yellows which serve as the palatte for most of the film.

  My only real complaint is actually the traditional complaint one has after watching a Hammer horror film: the beast, when we finally get to see it, is something of a disappointment. However, I will allow that this is probably due as much to my heightened expectations given the quality level of the rest of the film more than to the limitations of CIG technology. The second time I watched the film this aspects was less bothersome to me, but still something of a disappointment. An action/horror/fantasy/thriller/romance like "Brotherhood of the Wolf" is not going to be embraced by everyone, but certainly fans of those genres will admire the ambition of this film, the most beautiful of its type we have ever seen.
  
  

• Brotherhood Of the Wolf-A Masterwork of Period Horror
  By A2LGYL47KISIE6 on 2002-02-06
  Director Christopher Gans (Crying Freeman, Necronomicon)has adapted the 300 year old case of the Beast of Gevaudon into the absolutely brilliant BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF (Le Pacte De Loups). Samuel Le Bihan stars as King Louis the XV's chief naturalist, war veteren Gregoire De Fronsac, sent to the French countryside with his best friend, a Native American warrior named Mani (Marc DeCascos)to hunt and kill a wolf-like "beast" responsible for a series of bloody deaths. Along the way, they encounter political intrigue, a witchy courtisan (the stunning Monica Belucchi) and the Beast itself, with amazing results.
  Although compared to The Matrix, Crouching Tiger and Jaws, I found this breathtaking film more in the vein of Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China series, with a dose of Dragonslayer thrown in for good measure. Complete with amazing locations, spot-on costumes and butt-kicking Savate sequences courtesy of DeCascos, Le Bihan and the menacing Vincent Cassel (The Crimson Rivers), BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF was well worth the year's wait (it was released in France in January of 2001). By all means, treat yourself to this truly ORIGINAL film. Within five minutes, you'll forget the subtitles, drawn in by the film's voluptuous beauty and thrilling plot twists.
  
  
• HOLLYWOOD ARE YOU WATCHING?
  By A1YHKSTVSYEYTU on 2002-01-22
  Apparently based on a true story (or at least a true myth) Brotherhood of The Wolf is a wonderful movie full of surprises. Part pre-revolutionary French period drama (complete with scantily clad peasant maidens with heaving bosoms and creepy aristocrats), part political allegory, part martial arts movie, and complete with gothic trimmings (a la Hammer House of Horror - secret societies, castles and candle-lit cellars etc.). Brotherhood of The Wolf is no euro art-house movie but it really is a must see.

  I'm not generally a fan of foreign movies but that's probably because this is only the third foreign movie I've seen on the big screen (the other two were `Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' And `Amelie'). This movie received such universal high praise that I just felt compelled to go and see it and I must admit that although I initially struggled with the subtitles during the more conversation filled early scenes, after only twenty minutes I had completely forgotten that I was watching a foreign movie with subtitles, so immersed was I in the movie.

  I don't want to give too much of the plot away, particularly as part of the joy of this movie is its surprise element - just when you think you have the movie sussed it moves in a different direction. Set in France, in 1776, and entirely told in flashback, an unknown and rarely seen beast is terrorising the French rural district of Gevaudan, by killing its women and children. So, King Louis XV dispatches young scientist Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) accompanied his Iroquoi native American companion, Mani (Mark Dacascos) to find the uber wolf. On arriving in Gevaudon they find that the soldiers previously sent to catch the beast are more adept at terrorising the locals than they are at hunting, and that region is in a state of complete panic.

  Director Christophe Gans serves up a stylish period thriller and exhilarating ride, perfectly capturing the period, beautifully photographing the landscapes, seamlessly combined with action scenes of great style and surreal originality. When we are first introduced to de Fronsac and Mani masked and on horseback in the driving rain (a la Dangerous Liasons), they happen across an old man and his whorish daughter being beaten and bullied by brutish soldiers. Cue a change of direction from period drama to action kick ass action movie as Mani delivers a very sound and stylish beating to the thugs, seamlessly directed with the combination of slo-mo and real time action.

  This is the movie that Tim Burton's `Sleepy Hollow' could have been and should have been. Although the beast special effects (from Jim Henson's workshop( are not the best and perhaps slightly overlong, this is an excellent and very gripping movie, beautifully filmed and directed with superb action and superb acting. Monica Bellucci sizzles as a rather shapely and very attractive high class prostitute. The handsome (in a chunky Gallic way) Samuel Le Bihan makes an great leading man and he is ably supported by the excellent Vincent Cassell (as a menacing one armed aristocrat) and the radiant Emilie Dequenne, as the virtuous Marianne. However, it is Mark Dacascos (Driven) who steals the show as de Fronsacs blood brother Mani. With striking good looks, charisma, and a great deal of both physical presence and martial arts skills, coupled with his acting ability, he lights up the screen and given the opportunity he will go on from here to be an international star.

  Personally I can't wait until the movie is available on DVD. Apparently Ang Lee described `Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon as Bruce Lee meets Jane Austen', this is much more than Dangerous Liasons meets John Woo meets Hammer House of Horror. This is a real gem of a movie that I am so glad I `discovered'. Stunningly original in its combination of styles and genres and a great example to Hollywood of what they should be producing. Very entertaining!!!

  (See it now before they make a horrible English language remake).
  
  

• French Action Thriller with Costumes and ... Kung-hu !!!
  By ABO2ZI2Y5DQ9T on 2002-02-14
  You know, French people love kung-hu action films. See those hit films like "The Fifth Element" "The Crimson River," and "TAXI 2." They all include kung-hu fight sequences, and it is not coincidental.

  So, it is not at all surprising to see Mark Dacascos (known in USA as the hero of TV series of "The Crow") shows his martial arts in the costume drama. You may think just because "Brotherhood of the Wolf" is a French movie, it should be a high-brow, art-house, serious piece. No. Sure, the film is loosely based on a mysterious legend (but not totally fictional) surrounding the massive killing of children and women in 1764 in the mountainous part of the south of France, but it takes great liberty of the event, and turned it into a comic book thriller-action film. And incredible thing is, it works.

  The key of the success is the international cast and crew that only France can gather. The two leads investigating the murders among the country where political intrigues lurk are effectively played by Samuel Le Bihan (French) and Dacascos (born in Hawaii, but here plays Mani, a native American); one-armed Jean-Francois is played Vincent Cassel ("The Crimson River" and "Elizabeth") also from France, plus from Italy comes Monica Bellucci as a very ravishing courtesan. On top of those good cast, we have from Hong-kong David Wu as film editor, who did his job in "A Better Tomorrow" directed by John Woo, and Philip Kwok as fighting scene instructor, who was also responsible for 007 film "Tomorrow Never Dies" (in which he also appears as a Chinese general). Besides these faces from Asia, the cinematography is by Dan Laustsen ("Nightwatch" and "Mimic") from Denmark, and the deadly Beast is the work by none other than Jim Henson Creature Shop! Yes, the team behind those Muppet characters!!!

  The result is a series of breathtaking photography with bone-crunching action scenes. The beauty of nature is captured with impressive, vivid colors, but truely astonishing thing is the beauty goes higher to very creepy levels. Actually, those beautiful images, especially that of quietly snowing mountains, greatly help to frighten our heart. Well, the storyline is sometimes very confusing, and I confess the last 40 minutes are too fast-moving to me. And as for the Beast in point, the special effect is uneven and far from perfect, but as a total an agreeable one. However, we should forget those shortcomings because after all, the visual aspects are the best thing you get in "Brotherhood of the Wolf." And if you have seen the director Gans's previous film "Crying Freeman" (which is based on a Japanese comic by Kazuo Koike & Ryuichi Ikegami), you can see he clearly knows what he is doing. "Brotherhood of the Wolf" is, in short, an exciting manga comic with a historical backdrop and gorgeous costume.

  After you know those things, you cannot complain holes in the script. While watchig it, I thought it is overlong, and probably it is; and the film's camerawork is frequently showy, but let's forget about it, okay? Because of those flaws I thought of giving four stars, but because of stunning Monica Bellucci, one notch up. Who could speak bad things about her? Just enjoy the film's visuals and actions. They are so good. And so is she.
  
  

• Werewolves, spies, Kung-Fu, assassins---& a killer hedgehog?
  By A2HII4U9WQ0XUV on 2002-12-24
  Visually breathtaking and always intriguing, Christophe Gans's chimerical "Le Pacte des Loups" ("Brotherhood of the Wolf") hurls together a wild array of clashing cinematic genres: martial arts, political intrigue, 18th century costume-drama, comedy, philosophy, horror, and romance. Insanely, it works, and the result is a capricious, baroque, cinematically stunning and always engaging little film that defies expectations and easy categorization.

  The movie is loosely based on the events that supposedly took place in the remote French province of Gevaudan in 1764. According to accounts of the time, a monstrous and elusive wolf killed and partially devoured hundreds of French peasants, mostly women and children. Local hunters sought to kill the beast, to no avail; eventually a French regiment was dispatched by the king to bring order to the countryside, and some hapless wolf was shot and showed to the peasantry as the monster that had terrorized the countryside.

  The movie builds deliciously on this legend, following the investigation of the French naturalist and philosophe Chevalier de Fronsac and his Mohawk blood brother and companion Mani (deftly and athletically played by The Crow's Mark Dacascos). Fronsac (played by Samuel le Bihan)is swiftly ensnared in the countless intrigues of the treacherous province, and swiftly finds himself hunted---by both the Beast and a rogues' gallery of other sinister characters.

  Brotherhood is a visual treat, with stunning colors and a masterful use of setting to accent the film's gothic, broding, and occasionaly playful mood. From the infamous opening melee fight scene with kung-fu and bo-staves in the rain, to the smoky, exotic interior of a Gevaudan brothel, to the airless and baroque sitting rooms of the local nobility, Christophe Gans revels in the strangeness and opulence of a demon-haunted pre-Revolutionary France.

  Better still, Director Gans has mastered the most important rule of horror-filmmaking: that which is unseen is more terrifying than that which is seen too much. The scenes wherein the beast is barely seen are so eerie that it's almost a letdown when the most fearsome beast that ever slouched out of Jim Henson's muppet shop lurches from the shadows---almost.

  The acting is solid throughout, with le Bihan stoic and convincing as Fronsac, Vincent Cassels dastardly as a fanatic nobleman, and Dacascos kicking and thwapping evildoers with great alacrity; sadly, the windsome Emilie Dequienne is thrown away as the love interest.

  Horror film, period piece, 18th century spy story---who knows, and really, in the end, who cares? Brotherhood of the Wolf is a lavish two hours of glorious fun. Vive le Loup!
  
  

• Franch Cinema smash Holywood
  By A8F98GVR4SOFC on 2001-10-02
  This movie could change your view on french cinematography. First of all great camera work. Christophe Gans, director, makes realy great mixture of ganres - historical drama with martial arts...Landscapes are so fantastic. Best movie for Mark Dacascos. For his fans a must see. Monica Bellucci is breathtaking in her femme role. What I realy liked was that there was not ending like most Hollywood has. Some of main characters die and get hurt so it becomes more realistic and believable. Fight scenes are truly superb. The plot is based on the true story of the Beast of the Gevaudan that terrorised France in the mid-XVIIIth century. The Beast has been attacking women and children for months and nobody has quite been able to harm it or even take a good look at it. I recomment it stongly.
  
  
• A brilliant film!
  By A4N0NS6ZF7PX5 on 2001-12-20
  We (husband Steve and myself) thoroughly enjoyed the film. Everything matched - the costumes, the set, the language, the colours, the atmosphere, the action and the characters were portrayed to perfect detail. Steve did not mind the fact he had to read subtitles and I am lucky enough to understand French.
  We had expected somthing like a werewolf story judging by the plot description in the local paper, but it was a lot more than that. The story is apparently based on true events and still today local French historians apparently do not know what the beast excactly was, so the film producers were able to use every conveivable theory and turn it into this fantastic film. We liked all of the many characters in the film and there is an amazing portrait of French aristocracy and life as such in the late 18th century, just before the French Revolution.
  However, the character that impressed us the most was the taciturne Mohawk Indian Mani portrayed brilliantly by Mark Dacascos and the action scenes were excellent.
  What we also appreciated very much was the research done by the team to make the story appear so authentic in every aspect.
  As in most films there is a love interest, but - whereas it often slows the plot down - in this film it adds a little spice.
  We would recommend the Brotherhood of the Wolf wholeheartedly, as we left the cinema with the feeling that we had just seen one of the best films for a long time!
  
  
• Awesome Movie/Bad Poster
  By A3NZOPITYHDOV on 2002-09-11
  I must admit up front that I haven't see the DVD, but I do own the zone 2 DVD and I have watched this movie nearly 10 times (& more than half in the theater due to its rare appearance in the States).
  This is an excellent movie, but some may not like it. If you make it through the first scene (the first attack of the beast , you will watch what is probably the best staff-fight seqence ever recorded on film. Congratulations to Christopher Gans! The color and texture to this whole movie is incredible! Super 35 maybe? Eye candy throughout...feast your eyes.
  This is the 2nd movie by Director Gans, the first being Crying Freeman, both films use Mark Dacascos (an excellent choice) and while his acting is superb in both, the cast's overall acting performance is MUCH better in Le Pacte des Loups...pardon, The Brotherhood of the Wolf.
  Anyone who agrees/disagrees with me may happily banter with me...I am a fanatic of this film! I saw it in France on opening day, I have a 4'x6' poster in my room (larger than life!)
  yrralrenru@hotmail.com
  
  
• Oh, Those Wacky French.....
  By ATS7LYGLUX34L on 2002-01-26
  I've never seen a French movie before, and I've also never seen a film as weird as this one, so I guess that alone would be worth a couple of stars....

  Brotherhood of the Wolf is part Action Movie, part Espionage, part Horror/Period Piece/Suspense/Martial Arts, and throws in a Conspiracy that would make Oliver Stone smile. On the surface, these elements could (and SHOULD) make a real mess of a movie, but Brotherhood suceeds nonetheless.

  A mysterious beast is ravaging a small village in France in the 1700's (This portion of the story is true...), and The King sends his Naturalist/Botanist/Bonesetter (This is a real Jack-of-All-Trades type) and his Mohawk Blood-Brother to help in the identification and apprehension of the creature, which the locals believe is a supernatural Wolf. That seems straightforward enough, but Director Christophe Gans throws in everyting but the kitchen sink, sub-plot wise.

  Still, the film has a number of things going for it: Strong performances by the leads, Samuel Le Bihan as the Wolf-Hunter, & Mark Dacascos as his silent-but-deadly companion (Dacascos brings a quiet dignity to the Indian Mani, and his numerous fight scenes are breathtaking.); great creature effects- the monster is very well done, and really had me wondering just what it was; beautiful cinematography that adds a lot to the mood of the film- this is truly one on the best LOOKING movies I've seen in quite some time. And Emilie Dequenne, the actress who plays Marianne, is just about the most beautiful woman I've ever seen...so that didn't hurt either.

  On the bad side- there are about four or five different times that I thought the film was over...but then it starts again...the movie is Waaaaayyy too long, and there is just too much going on. My biggest beef, without giving anything away, was the "Scooby-Doo" ending; I felt cheated. Yet I still managed to really enjoy the film as a whole,

  People who are put off by subtitles shouldn't be too scared; after 5 or 10 minutes you hardly even know they're there, and since the last hour is one big action-fest, there isn't much reading to distract you from the action.

  If you're looking for something (VERY!) different, this is the film to see.
  
  

• WOAH!
  By A2UNL46AB7IHND on 2002-01-13
  First, I don't think too many Native Americans (or the French for that matter) of the 18th century were quite so skilled in the martial arts as has been depicted in this film. Nonetheless, my mouth was gaped wide open for the entirety of Le Pacte Des Loops. It was that good. From the opening scene, I was completely drawn in and held emotionally captive (and at times terrified) by astonishing sound and camera work. In fact, the audio/visual is surpassed by very, very few films I have seen in my life. It was that good. Viewers in the theater jumped in their seats. A few even moaned in terror. Some will be chased away by the prospect of having to read subtitles. Those people will be depriving themselves of a film that one day may be remembered as landmark film-making. It was that good. The storyline is completely original and oddly unusual. The sexual content is faithful to the storyline. The violence may be slightly gratuitous, but that is overshadowed by the existence of a deep enough underlying message. As I observed the looks on the faces of the audience exiting the theater, I decided I need to see this movie again.
  
  
• "Brotherhood of the Wolf" is one of the best of all time
  By A2KG8WLR1AKO12 on 2002-02-17
  Many French films will bore you to death. Post modernist navel gazing often seems to be the norm. However, this is definitely not the case with Christopher Gans' brilliant "Brotherhood of the Wolf." One is reminded of the recent Chinese "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" fantastically choreographed fight scenes. I have no hesitation placing the movie in the top one hundred of all time. Indeed, it is that awesomely wonderful and exciting. Gans deserves an Academy Award nomination for directing this fast paced story. Brotherhood, though, is neither for the squeamish nor the prudes among us. There is plenty of frontal nudity and instances where limbs are torn and the blood flows freely.

  "Brotherhood of the Wolf' is a fantasy placed sometime before the French Revolution. A creature suspected of being a wolf is savagely attacking the citizens. Nobody is safe including the children. A scientist (Samuel Le Bihan) and his karate trained Iroquois spiritual brother (Mark Decascos) are committed to destroying this mysterious beast. They have many adventures in attempting to accomplish their goal. The former finds true love, but both men make full use of the local house of prostitution. Does the plot always make sense? Of course not, but the film doesn't claim to be an accurate depiction of that period in history. After all, how many American Indians actually studied karate some two hundred years ago? One should simply surrender to its almost comic book interpretation of reality. Brotherhood is visually beautiful and demands to be seen at least once on the big screen. Do you enjoy purely escapist entertainment with lots of gore? If so, this is the movie for you. I am giving it five stars and wish it could be six.
  
  

• Feast for Both the Mind and Eye
  By A1VJ7HYM1EC94M on 2004-08-06
  Remarkably complex; engaging the mind as well as the eye.
  
  Unwisely, I've avoided seeing Le Pacte des loups, though I admit to having been intrigued by the trailers several years ago at its release.
  
  Finally, I saw it and was shocked to find a movie that only went about 100% beyond my expectations. What I thought would be a mildly diverting werewolf movie was actually a powerfully moving, beautiful, complex, genre-busting cinematic experience that engaged my mind as well as it entertained me.
  
  Visually, Gans's film is spectacular, every cell providing arresting images. While some have complained about it's mixture of horror, fantasy, religious-political-societal commentaries, etc., Gans seems to understands that even a seemingly "simple tale" is never really simple and his ability to weave such complicated elements into a cohesive whole - while not seamless - is a huge pay off for the patient viewer of this remarkable movie
  
  Like a good theatre ensemble, Gans's cast seems entirely caught up in this epic retelling of the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan and the interactions and development of the tale's many characters. Gans uses stock characters right out of a medieval morality tale which could almost be laughable (evil brother physically maimed disguising his true, inner ugliness; beautiful sister, seemingly strong needing "rescue"; the whore with a heart of gold; the resentful, corrupt priest wielding power and in control of the communities goings-on, etc.) - but which here draw us into another world. Add the East/West connection of the two unlikely heroes - Fronsac, a French Gardener/Naturalist/Taxidermist and, Mani his American Indian bloodbrother - both highly skilled in martial arts (and Fronsac a remarkable marksman).
  
  Like a good opera, Gans layers on a myriad of styles; martial arts, horror, psychological drama, period piece, class and religious commentary, and comes up with one thoroughly entertaining spectacle. There's also some kick-ass fight scenes!
  
  At first the revealing of the beast threatened disappointment (actually, I initially thought it looked cheesey), but I almost immediately realized where the film was taking me and had no problem believing "what" the beast was.
  
  I'm not a bit surprised there's no mainstream audience for this type of film - it didn't do well here in the American box office - (big surprise there, right!) but this film has "cult" written all over it and I won't be surprised to be finding people coming to it years from now and saying "where the hell was I when this thing came out?"
  
  A truly remarkable achievement.
  
  
  
• Pleasantly Surprised
  By A37F1G84K35FCZ on 2002-01-27
  I do not like subtitles, I like to read books not movies. I would wager that when it is released on DVD there would be a version dubbed in English. The promotion of a film is the second largest expense next to the actual production costs. With this in mind I don't know why the filmmakers did not take the time to ensure the widest audience possible for the film. However much this film makes at the box office, it will be less than it deserved to earn. Word of mouth will play a large part in the ultimate level of success the film has, and there are many people who will not attend a subtitled film. The trailer was well done, and included absolutely no dialogue, so some viewers may feel they were mislead when the subtitles begin.

  The film is beautiful to look at for virtually the entire 2 and one-quarter hours that it runs. Christophe Gans, the director, has a great eye and he seems to prefer lush, saturated colors that make some scenes that would otherwise be overextended pleasant to view. He uses some clever transitions, some of which are so smooth they could be missed the first time they are viewed. He also makes good use of slow motion and he evens freezes a few frames to punctuate terror, and it is effective. Slow motion gets used by some directors to the point of being annoying, for how interesting is a view of a person walking through a door? A body falling through leaves so that it becomes abstract, or a body falling in to water, gives the eye a great deal to watch.

  The movie has a great deal of fighting that is very well choreographed and stays far away from the digital effects used to have people scale walls, or spin horizontally in the air. The fights may remind you of Jackie Chan sequences in that they are clearly very well thought out, very well rehearsed, and they have a director that knows how to capture the action on film. I enjoyed the super human sequences The Matrix presented, but that is not what is on offer here.

  The actors are all unknown to me, but all seemed very capable. Evidently the husband and wife that pair in this movie has done so several times in French films, and are very highly thought of in Europe.

  Not dubbing this in English will hurt the film at the box office. However with that qualification, this is a great action film/period piece, and when appraised as such should appeal to a great number of moviegoers. The R rating is appropriate.
  
  

• Gorgeous
  By ATNGTNTE0SKOI on 2001-10-25
  I had the great luck of screening the US release of this film recently.

  Before I list the good, I'll list my one and only complaint:

  It is quite gory. If you have difficulty with gore, bring someone with you to the theater who can tell you when you can look up again. On video or DVD, there's always fast-forward.

  Now on to everything else:

  This movie is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The cinematography is inventive, unique, and truly gorgeous. The use of odd camera angles and slowing of time (more subtle than The Matrix) make the simplest shots (i.e. feet landing in a puddle of mud) a thrill to watch.

  Some of the most incredible fight sequences grace this movie, most starring cult-favorite Mark Dacascos. This is probably some of his most beautiful work, giving us a broad spectrum of his great skills. It's also quite obvious that the cuts used during his fight sequences are only there cinematic effect, and not for lack of ability or stamina. Some of his moves (all without wire-work) will leave you breathless.

  See it in the theaters, and buy it when it comes out on video. You won't regret it.
  
  

• Wait for cable...
  By on 2002-01-22
  I will admit it: I wasn't hyped to see (or shall I say read) this movie. I generally dislike subtitled films, but Crouching Tiger made me think twice about skipping a movie strictly because it is subtitled. Here's my thoughts:

  1. Way too much Matrix-Kung Fu-SlowMo-Cam. The action would have been much better if every single fight didn't have this. There can be too much of a good thing.

  2. It seemed like the director was trying a little bit TOO hard to develop every single character. He could have chopped at least 30 minutes of the film by getting rid of useless background.

  3. The story is good...very good. There is an originality you don't see very often...Perhaps the director could have filled some plot holes instead of giving us a bunch of background that doesn't mean anything?

  4. I'm sorry, but did they *have* to make "the beast" look like an ROUS (rodent of unusual size) from the Princess Bride?

  5. 10 minutes of staring at a boat was completely useless.

  6. Some of the fades and wipes are extraordinary...Look for them.

  7. Be prepared to be disappointed at least three times that the movie isn't over.

  8. The acting is impeccable. Bravo to the casting director.

  All in all, I liked this movie. It wasn't a complete waste of time, yet it doesn't live up to all the hype. I recommend waiting until it comes out on cable.
  
  

• an epic of pre-Revolution proportions
  By A3H0XQ7N0CWSXW on 2005-04-06
  Brotherhood of the Wolf is like no film I've ever seen. It's like no film that I can find even remotely within the same vein. I saw this movie it's opening night in the U.S. back in 2002, and it's been my favorite film since. I bought the DVD its first day on sale and I've spread the word like the the French legend that this movie was spawned from. Supposedly, there were real beast attacks of Gevaudan during the reign of King Louis XIV. But whether is were from wolves, bear, or some other animal, is unknown. Whatever is was, it was large.
  
  Taking this idea from this chapter of little known French history, the writers cooked up a story that would explain why a rabid beast in 18th-century France would attack and kill women and children in the region of Gevaudan. Several of the characters were real, while others are fictional, colorful characters that bring a certain charisma and flare to the story. Gregoire de Fronsac is knight of the King's royal court in Paris, and he and his Iroquois Indian companion, Mani, are sent to Gevaudan to consort with the aristocracy and the local magistrates while investigating the brutal attacks. Fronsac(star of French films He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not and Le Mentale), encounters two women who continually jockey for his heart, Marianne de Morangias(Emily Dequenne) and the mysterious Sylvia(Monica Bellucci), one a well-respected young woman of the bourgeios and the other French-speaking Italian voluptuous vixen in a house of ill-repute. Just three of the fictional and colorful characters to fill the backdrop of palaces, courts, brothels, and the French countryside, the characters all play monumental roles in the grande finale of the film, the stark realization that makes Le Pacte des Loup such an adapatable entity in the world of highly maketable French film making.
  
  The film is the first of its kind, a extraordinary genre-buster of a movie, combining elements of a French-spoken film, the epic, period piece, action/adventure with just a petit of horror in its moments of intense suspense. The music is moody and wordly, with Spanish guitars, chants, banshee moans, and wolf-like whistles and flutes. The colors are vivid and opulant. The cinetography is memorable and remarkable, with sweeping cameras over green hills and cliffs and still shots of a pre-savage attack from the beast of Gevaudan. The fight choreography is conceived of by Asian masterminds of the genre, and the costumes are some of the best, if not the best I've ever seen in a period piece, complete with vibrant dresses, leather longcoats, and French three-sided hats, true to the times. All of this is set before and during the turbulent times of the French Revolution, where arisocrats and royalty were treated with tyrannical contempt. Well worth the price of admission, worth the price of rental or buying to own, Brotherhood of the Wolf is the finest film of the French-speaking market, the only of its kind in that respect and the first and only of it's kind the field of the multi-genre film, foreign or domestic.
  
  
• Cockamamie [bad]!
  By A10I199V8AAHW8 on 2002-02-11
  Having just seen this at the theater, it is (unfortunately!) still fresh in my mind... This movie is a ridiculous combination of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,'(the absurd martial arts mummery) any Sam Pekinpah spectacular you care to name (the slowed down 'action' sequences), with musical scoring courtesy of Sergio Leone (The Good, The Bad & The Ugly). The point is, there is practically nothing cinematically original in this movie, and as far as the storyline is concerned, it is nonsense from start to finish! How many Mohawks in 18th century France (or anywhere else for that matter!) would know anything about martial arts (let alone any Frenchmen!)? Some explanation should be forthcoming, but it never arrives. Why would 'Mani the Mohawk' have anything to do with our hero, when the hero (Fronzac) freely admits he actively participated in the massacre of Mani's tribe via bedding infected with disease, followed by active bloodletting? Why would they seek to destroy the Mohawks in the first place, seeing as how my history books indicate they were allies against the English during the time period (French & Indian Wars)? You would think Mani would be the first to cut Fronzac's throat (but doesn't, more's the pity!)! Next issue involves the evil thugs of the 'Brotherhood.' Mani manages to slaughter most of them with his trusty Kung-Fu tomahawk before being shot in the back (I don't know why more Kung-Fu fighters are not similarly dispatched!). Then, and for no apparent reason, the same characters/actors in the same costumes reappear to fight with Fronzac in the final scene (and get bloodily killed. Again!). Was this because too much of the film budget was spent on crap 'special effects' instead of additional extras? Your guess is as good as mine! And then there is the 'Brotherhood' itself. Supposedly, this is a secret organisation created by the Catholic Church to somehow frighten the King of France for some reason. Or perhaps it's to frighten the people, who might not be frightened by the King. Or something. Why, is never explained, nor why some much more simple method, such as assassination, was not considered sufficiently efficacious. Whatever. In any case, this 'Brotherhood' supposedly gets out of control, so the Pope sends a special agent to make sure it gets suppressed. And what agent was sent? A collection of tough Jesuit priests? The Inquisition (no-one expects the Inquisition!)? The Swiss Guard? Nope! Apparently, all the Holy See could muster is a single Italian hooker with a slight penchant for S&M! Look folks, if you want to waste your money on some French trash in order to see some nudity (and trust me, there is nothing but a bunch of exceedingly worn-out has-beens from the Bois de Boulogne to be seen, in a single, and totally gratuitous bordello scene), then you would be much better off buying a straight-up [dirty] film. If it is a quality film you are looking for, with a quality storyline and believable actors, you had best look far, far away from this claptrap!
  
  
• I never expected this!!!
  By ACMAUJEBY6GJF on 2004-09-22
  Brotherhood of the wolf, I had seen the vcr and dvd-cover of it in stores many times, but I thought its' title sounded lame - believing it was another movie of Jet Li karate-kung fu (or whatever he does) -so I always ignored it. Actually I had never heard anything(!) about this movie before until yesterday when for the first time I took a closer look at it in a foodstore (of all places), turned the cover around and red what it was about - of course I knew the legend of the beast, and bought it without the greatest expectation. Watched it, and had I been missing something?! Though not as true perhaps as it's called to be, well, I really couldn't care less about that. It's a masterpiece. Done extremely well! Great acting, great filming, superb settings, fantastic monster. Very scary actually. No, I never expected this. I'm not the kind of person who sees movies for their fight-scenes, but the fighting-scenes in this one must have been put a lot of effort to, and... Yes, the rest you could find out for yourself - just see it! Brotherhood of the wolf is an action-adventure-based on legend-story, and a heaven send epic for you who are like me and enjoy movies about mysterious monsters in the dark places of the world...
  
  
• WARNING SEE THE REAL THING
  By A7ZOOFN3D5F8T on 2002-09-18
  Ok first of all, this is simply one of the best movie ever... Yes there is somes flaws in the story but the cinematography is just fantastic... The various uses of speed change, the camera moves and an eerie ambiance....

  But ... this dvd is out on 3 differents versions. The united states will get this poor version of the movie... In Quebec and Canada we will have the true definitive version. Available in 1 dvd set or 3 dvd set on region 1. With a lot of extras... i mean alot , a lot of extras!! So order it somewhere.... buy i mean it, get this french version. You can get it on amazon.ca. I jusye bought it and its awesome!!!!! Great making of... cool deleted scenes... incredible sound... french DTS, Dolby digital and a english track with bad dubbing.... Watch it in french with english subtitles!!! And no this dvd is not cut... the dvd contains 8 minutes of extra footage incorporated in the movie... I have seen it 4 times in the theatre in French so i know what... im talking about...
  
  

• 45 MINUTES ON THE EDITING FLOOR WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT!!
  By AF2UOFC8BTHLC on 2002-01-27
  What beautiful cinematography, sumptuous costumes, new bright faces, and acting for a change

  The plot is based on a French urban legend. A beast is ravaging the countryside, killing women and children only. This is stirring-up the general public and their hysteria is making the King loose popularity.

  The King sends forth his Gardener(Samuel Le Behan) who takes his Iroquois sidekick, Mark Dacascos, and they set out to capture this beast. Which turns out to be no easy thing. There is a sub-plot which I will not discuss as it might hinder the reader from seeing this movie.

  If Christophe Gans had left 45 min. on the editors-floor this could have been a great film. But it falls apart in the middle as the Director seems to think he has to develope even the extras characters in this movie, hence if you can get around this stumbling block, you will enjoy.

  The fight scenes bring to mind Hidden Dragon, but they are cleverly choreographed. All the main characters are vibrant and easy to look at and if you are worried about what an Iroquois from the Americas is doing in 18th century France, his partner (Smauel) had been to America on a expedition for plants and they became BLood Brothers.

  I gave this *** stars for overall and ***** for cinematography, costumes, and acting. ciao yaaah69
  
  

• Great Extras
  By A2OJ43LRAPP0AY on 2003-09-25
  This is the definitive collector's edition. Three DVDs, packed with extras, making of, uncut version (over 8 minutes longer). It is a very good movie with excellent photography and ambience. It is a very different style compared to what hollywood usually spoon feeds to their audiences, and I loved its mixture of genre.
  
  
• Unexpected Cinematic Treat....
  By A2ZSC81MXLBELX on 2003-10-17
  This review refers to the Universal DVD(single disc) edition of "Brotherhood Of The Wolf"(Le Pacte Des Loups).....

  Martial Arts films are usually not my first choice when it comes to selecting a film to view. But every once in a while(about semi-annually), I relinquish the DVD player to the rest of my family, secretly hoping they will pick an old Grant-Dunne film(this will NEVER, EVER happen). I was not surprised when they chose this one. I was however, delighted to see they were watching a French film, and sat down to see what it was all about. The big surprise was that nearly 2 and 1/2 hours later, I was the only one left, still sitting through all the credits,and taking in the beautiful end music.

  The film captivated me right from the start. The artful photography,the chilling story and the beautiful romance, kept me so engrossed, I didnt even realize how much time had passed.
  The tale is set in 18th century France. A horrible beast is terrorizing the land and woman and children are it's favorite victims.The stories of the beast grow through the land prompting the King to send Gregoire de Fronsca, animal expert and a bit of a philospher to investigate these grizzly events.Together with his trusted blood brother,Mani, an American Iroqoui,they follow their instincts and a trail that leads to some deep dark secrets.

  There are lots of beautifully filmed action sequences, suspense, thrills and chills, and romance along the way.It was wonderfully directed by Christopher Gans and well acted. The cast includes Samuel Le Behan, Vincent Cassel,Emilie Dequenne, Monica Belluci, and Marc Dacascos as "Mani".The cinematography(Dan Lausten), the music and the costumes all add up to a cinematic treat.

  The DVD presents excellent picture and sound. The anamorphic widescreen(2.35:1) shows off all the wonderful scenery and lush color. It may be viewed in the original French Dolby Dig 5.1(go to language settings for this or it will default to English), and also in English 5.1. There are subtitles in English and Spanish and there are nice captions in English as well. The features include deleted scenes introduced by the director, bios on some of the cast and filmmakers, production notes and a theatrical trailer.

  Recommended for those who enjoy action, adventure,chills, romance, and fine filmmaking. It is however rated R for sexual and violent scenes.

  Go for it......Laurie
  
  

• Hopefully it includes the same extras as in France!!!!!
  By on 2002-08-16
  I saw this movie in the theatres in France, and the moment I did (January 2001), I said that I wanted it on DVD. The DVD version that I purchased (3-DVD Region 2 Collectors Ed.) did not disappoint, but all of my friends moan and groan when I talk about this movie, since that DVD set didn't include english subtitles. Hopefully, this english version will include all of the wonderful extras that were included on that setup, including another 50 minutes of deleted scenes that help you understand the depth of the storyline.
  This movie reminds me of the first time I ate sushi and didn't realize that the green stuff was wasabi. I went in expecting some fighting and some cool cinematography. I was blown away by some of the grisly violence and sex that was put into this film, and on the first viewing, the film may seem a little confusing. After seeing it several times, I have learned to appreciate the film for its positive points (great fight scenes, amazing cinematography, beatiful women, interesting plot twists) and ignore some of its shortcomings (a bad actor here and there, CGI effects that might seem outdated due to the lower french budgets).
  In France, people rated this movie either 5 stars or zero stars. This is a type of film that you either love, or you hate. I really enjoyed it, and I hope you do too.
  Try out "Crying Freeman" (also with Marc Dacascos and Directed by Christophe Gans) if you liked this film, though it is tough to find. (try amazon.fr)
  
  
• Science
  By AK9BQOAAPXXZT on 2002-10-08
  I got this DVD because I was pretty sure that this was the worst movie I'd ever seen, but I blacked out toward the end when I saw it in the theater and woke up alone in a pool of pepsi and sour patch kids. A few months pass, I'm all, "Well, people liked this, I'll see it again, maybe I was wrong."

  Someday, the welt on my head that I got when I fainted from viewing this DVD will go down. But the six hours and [money] I've now wasted on this pompous half-assed semi-post-action go-nowhere unbelievable piece of garbage, that's gone forever. I could have been watching Happy Gilmore on a bus from Oneonta to Poughkeepsie, but instead, I watched BotW again, because I'm a stupid, stupid idiot.

  The DVD is, in fact, cut a little from the film I saw in the theater, but this is a plus, not a minus, since the new, shorter length allowed me to get almost all the way through before collapsing. I have yet to check out the extra features, but unless they include a feature that somehow makes your DVD player reach out and punch everyone involved in this horrible, horrible ptravesty right in their privates, they're lacking. I'm writing a letter to the producers of the DVD to let them know that if they want me to add a commentary to the next release, I'm right there:

  "....and, and, wait, here's the thing i don't....oh, GOD, what the hell is HAPPENING? NOOOOOO! NOOOOOO! oh, dear......why do we.....what the hell....who....but....but...SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUUUUUUUUP!"

  See, it's not that I don't understand french -- I took six years. And it's not that I don't like brooding, or surrealism, or allegory, or that I can't suspend my disbelief. And it's not that I've got horrible taste, or that I can't take foriegn films. I really, really can, and I really, really expected BotW to be effing awesome. I went in to love it. And it kicked me in my throat, stepped on my wang, and punched me and punched me and punched me. Plot: -10. Acting: -5. Kung Fu: 2 Cinematography: 7 Hairy Fish: -100 Native American Ninja Idea: 6 Bone Chain Sword: - 100000

  Overall (not an average): negative one million dollars.

  Bottom Line: If aliens came down to earth, and saw this movie, they would kill us all. And after seeing it again, I think we would deserve it.
  
  

• What in the World was up with that ending?????
  By A2JJGIJI8X6KRS on 2002-10-30
  I purchased this DVD because I was so excited after seeing the incredible trailers for this flick when it was released to the theaters, but it wasn't released everywhere so seeing it became more of a hassle... I chose to wait for the DVD.

  I gave this movie 3 Stars because I really appreciated the cinamatography and the martial art scenes. Now my bicker is the ending boy was it dissapointing........ I have a feeling that it's just a French Movie making style that I am not aware of because this is my second review for a French Flick that the ending was like...... ????? huh? It seemed to me that the director was trying to cram 5 different movies ideas into this one movie. There are a lot of things that make absolutely no sense whatsoever at the end of this movie which ruined the entire experience for me.

  Anyhoo if you can watch it and keep in mind that it is just for entertainment and not expect a really wonderful involving plot then I say go for it purchase the movie, however if you are like me that require a little more than that I say pass on it and rent it from your local video store. Oh yea, I used both the sub-titles and dubbing, it wasn't distracting at all.

  Respectfully Reviewed
  
  

• Hellboy II: The Golden Army (3 Disc Special Edition)
• Dark City (New Line Platinum Series)
• The 13th Warrior
• Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
• Dog Soldiers