French cinema industry is traditionally considered as one of the greatest in the world. There are many reasons for that, including France being the home of cinema. Another reason can be found in the long history of France which provided French film makers with plenty of interesting events that could serve as plots for all kinds of attractive films. One such episode was covered in Brotherhood of the Wolf, 2001 action horror epic directed by Christophe Gans.
Script co-written by Gans and Stéphane Cabel is very loosely based on the events related to so-called “Beast of Gévaudan” which terrorised mountainous areas of south-central France in 1760s. The prologue is set during the time of French Revolution when the narrator, elderly aristocrat Marquis Thomas d’Apcher (played by Jacques Perrin) writes his memoirs while waiting execution and recalls events he had witnessed as younger man (played by Jéremie Rennier). Mysterious and apparently untraceable and invulnerable animal has attacked, killed and devoured hundreds of people, creating panic and rumours about some evil supernatural force. Those news has reached the court of King Louis XV who sends Knight Grégoire de Fronsac (played by Samuel le Bihan), his special envoy, to catch the animal and send its corpse to the court. Fronsac is experienced naturalist who has travelled the world and has also embraced the rationalist ideas of the Enlightement. He is convinced that the Beast is merely a common wolf and that the superstition, too much imagination and incompetence of local authorities turned it into something more. Upon arrival Fronsac discovers that the issue is more complicated, partly because some of the important local characters don’t like him. Because of that Mani (played by Mark Dacascos), trusted Iroquois friend whom he met during the war with the British in Canada, would have to apply martial arts to protect Fronsac. Knight’s mission becomes even more difficult after he meets two beautiful women – Marianne de Morangias (played by Emilie Duquenne), daughter of local noble, and Sylvia (played by Monica Bellucci), exotic Italian prostitute who actually isn’t who she claims to be.
Christophe Gans belongs to the generation of French film makers that drew inspiration for their works from wide variety of sources that didn’t include only Hollywood. In Brotherhood of the Wolf it is easy recognise visual styles and themes from MTV videos, Japanese mangas and Hong Kong action films. Gans, on the other hand, keeps his film unquestionably French, with all that content giving the local flair, while not sacrificing some of its elements at the altar of “political correctness”. Gans, despite using fictional characters and straying a lot from actual historical records, puts the plot firmly in the context of pre-revolutionary France in second half of 18th Century, with social contradictions and escalating conflict between decadent nobility and emerging bourgeoisie finding its way to reflect into ideological conflict between protagonists and other characters. Fronsac as a rational man of science fights not only superstition, but also forces who would have liked to throw France back into centuries-old medieval mindset. Gans at the same time uses the story as an excellent opportunity to pay homage to very diverse set of films and TV shows ranging from Spielberg’s classic Jaws, The X-Files and John Woo’s action films. All this result in unusual mix of different genres – melodrama, horror, conspiracy thriller and classic action adventure. Less experienced or talented film maker would have failed in keeping some of those contradictory elements together, but Gans maintains coherent narrative structure.
Brotherhood of the Wolf is very good film, but it is far from perfect. The action scenes are perfectly choreographed, 18th Century France reconstructed in an attractive way and Joseph Lo Duca, composer best known for his work on Xena: the Warrior Princess, delivers effective music score. The script, on the other hand, is a little rough around the edges. Plot practically ends around the second third only to be prolonged by not so convincing deus ex machina. Casting could have been better. Samuel Le Bihan isn’t too convincing as protagonist and is easily overshadowed by action star Mark Dacascos playing his sidekick. Vincent Cassell is also more effective in supporting role, while his then-wife Monica Bellucci provides plenty of eye candy for male segments of audience, including few nude scenes. Despite its flaws, Brotherhood of the Wolf provides plenty of entertainment during two and half hours of running time and proves that French cinema can compete with Hollywood on its own terms.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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