Catherine Hardwicke’s new film “Red Riding Hood” at first glance doesn’t seem to have that much in common with the fairy tale after which it’s named. Sure, there’s a wolf, a grandmother and the titular crimson cloak. Here, though, the wolf announces his intention to eat up the young innocent, instead of hiding behind her grandma’s bonnet. And there’s another difference — the young innocent is not so innocent. “Red Riding Hood” is still part of a long tradition, though. People have been looking for — or inventing — sexual undertones to folk tales almost since they started being told. Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer have made vampires sexy. Isn’t it wolves’ turn in the spotlight?
| On screen |
| ‘Red Riding Hood’ |
| 2 1/2 out of 5 stars |
| Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Virginia Madsen, Julie Christie |
| Director: Catherine Hardwicke |
| Rated: PG-13 for violence and creature terror, and some sensuality |
| Running time: 100 minutes |
The story takes place in a medieval village, set off from a forest. As in the fairy tale, the civilization of the former is contrasted with the wildness of the latter. For two decades, the villagers have offered the wolf sacrifices to protect their people. But the creature suddenly has a taste for human blood again. And it turns out that the danger doesn’t dwell in the woods — it exists in the village itself. The wolf is actually a werewolf.
So explains Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), who’s been called in to exorcise the beast. He knows them well: His wife was bitten by one. (Never mind that Catholic priests aren’t allowed to marry and have children.) It was during a red moon, when a werewolf’s bite turns you into one yourself. Naturally, it’s a red moon now. And the wolf most wants to gnaw on the most beautiful girl in the village, Valerie (Amanda Seyfried). Who wants to take her away so badly? Is it her unapproved-of boyfriend, manly woodcutter Peter (Shiloh Fernandez)? Or is it the man she’s been told to marry, the rich and delicate Henry (Max Irons)?
What’s most disturbing about this horror-fantasy isn’t the way it’s been made. Hardwicke, who directed the first “Twilight” film, has really created a fairy-tale world here, one as dark and mystifying as a Grimm tale. The acting is fine, though Oldman looks to have had too much work done recently. Irons shines in a thankless role, and Virginia Madsen is lovely as Valerie’s mother. Fernandez is the weak link here — as is the perfunctory dialogue. The legendary Julie Christie is simply wasted, but Seyfried is enchanting enough to have believably caused so much trouble.
It’s her choices, not her chops, that are so unsettling. Sure, werewolves and vampires have an animal sensuality that’s hard to resist. But does that mean the most charming women must succumb to them? This dark film would have us surrender to our darkest impulses — even once we know the consequences.
