Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke's supernatural re-imagining of Charles Perrault's medieval fairy tale tells a dark story, built around superstition and religious paranoia. For decades, residents of the rural European hamlet of Daggerhorn have appeased the local werewolf by offering a monthly livestock sacrifice—but then the beast gobbles the older sister of Valerie (Amanda Seyfried). Valerie's parents—Cesaire (Billy Burke) and Suzette (Virginia Madsen)—want her to marry wealthy blacksmith Henry (Max Irons), but she's in love with brooding Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), a poor woodcutter with a troubled past. Meanwhile, tyrannical Father Solomon (Gary Oldman)—a lycanthropy expert in cleric's robes—arrives with an entourage and an elephant-shaped torture chamber, warning everyone that since the murderous creature takes human form by day, no one is above suspicion. In this convoluted whodunit, Valerie, who wears her signature crimson cloak, seems to have a unique connection to the wolf. As for the sinister encounter between Valerie and her eccentric grandmother (Julie Christie), it's here relegated to a dream sequence (and Valerie doesn't wait to be rescued by Prince Charming; she figures things out for herself). Boasting elaborate production design (often using aerial photography), Hardwicke's emotion-wrought coming-of-age drama suffers from both a melodramatic muddled script and a lack of chemistry between the heroine and both of her suitors. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include additional scenes (4 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is an alternate cut of the film (with alternate ending), a “Behind the Red Cloak” picture-in-picture commentary (with costars Amada Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, and director Catherine Hardwicke), behind-the-scenes featurettes (including “Red's Men”), casting tapes, and rehearsals (36 min.), a gag reel (3 min.), the music videos “The Wolf” by Fever Ray and “Just a Fragment of You” by Anthony Gonzalez of M83, an Easter egg, bonus DVD and digital copies of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a disappointing film.] (S. Granger)
Red Riding Hood
Warner, 100 min., PG-13, DVD: $28.99, Blu-ray: $35.99, June 14 Volume 26, Issue 4
Red Riding Hood
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