Rating: 
Summary: Great foriegn film
Review: I picked this movie up taking a chance, had never heard of it. I must say that I'm glad I did.......it has everything a movie buff lives for. It contained action, fighting, horror, sex, love, hate, good, evil.....you name it, fully loaded film. I own the Dvd version of the film and watching it in French is no problem at all, the film is so fluid. I have also watched it with the French dubbed over in English and I must say that I soon forgot they weren't speaking English originally.....it was done so well. The acting is superb all around as well as the story.........Dvd transfer for picture and sound is excellent. I would definatley add this to your collection and if you are not a collector definately try and see it......you'll love it. If you go into this movie expecting it to be simply a horror/werwolf film then it might be too complex for you....wait a few years and try again.
Rating: 
Summary: It's okay but could have been a definite 5 star movie.
Review: First off you have to go into watching this movie with knowing nothing of the history of the plot but if you do know what it's about and anticipate the certain obvious scenes in the film then you will only dull yourself out! First off this film was made in France and the movie is about a legend of France that took place in the mid 1700's of an unknown creature hunting humans and reaking havok amongst the town people. The overall movie was good and the fighting scenes hold up to the fast moving generation of filmmaking today. The only problem I have with the movie is the creature itself, it is made very cheesy and does not suit up to the legend of the brotherhood of the wolf. Overall if your into foreign films then I suggest purchasing the 3 disc collector's edition since it focuses on the myth more with some documentaries but the single disc version is definitely woth the RENT!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not even worth a single star
Review: What a god awful "horror!" Brotherhood of the Wolf...I don't remember a movie when I laughed so hard! Let's see their was Poodle-dress woman, the hero's romantic interest. Her brother...Mr. Evil One-Armed Incestuous Corset Man and his cult. The funky Gypsy lady and her straaaaaange father. And the Big Bad Eeeeeeevil Cat...I've seen better trained lions at the circus! I seriously couldn't stop laughing at this movie. And I went with friends...most of the theater was laughing at people being thrashed about and killed. Soooo lame. And when we finished watching the movie, we all spoke with fake French accents..."Oooh la la! Loooook at mah manly corset!"
Rating: 
Summary: a farce~
Review: I went to watch the movie because it's International Film Festival in Christchurch & that, in accordance to the description, it was the highest gross movie in France to-date. When there was also this commentary about this movie being a mish mash of Jaws, Matrix, Crouching Tiger, I thought to myself this movie has got potential. I have always expected French movie to be a bit out of this world but then again, there is a word to describe it, flair~ Anyhow, when the movie started, it definitely showed a glint of promise, with those slow motion cinematography, hinting slowly at John Woo style, & with the ocassional multi angle Matrix style fighting style. However, the movie went downhill from here. The main characters looked very much like Christopher Lambert in his heydays & his brother, an Iroquois was none other than the actor who played the TV series, the Crow. Towards the end of the movie, the style became looser & looser & the plot also became incoherent. The killing style was more fitting to a mish mash of From Dusk Till Dawn (Quentin Taratino style), Bollywood style movies with a dash of HK style kung-fu movies. Anyway, you can probably describe this movie as an international effort, or probably you can say that this movie is also trying to be Jack of all trade but as you know how the saying goes, and the master of none. Naturally, Monica Belluchi from Malena was underutilised here. Other than displaying her voluptuous body, her role as a high class prostitute & working for the Pope to investigate the mystery of the monster which devoured people here were questionable. A movie worth watching for a good laugh and not necessarily for its quality. Should this movie is really the highest gross movie in France, obviously, the audience tends to differ from my opinion
Rating: 
Summary: Hauntingly and Beautiful
Review: Le Pacte des Loups - Brotherhood of the Wolf
I truly loved this movie, in fact it introduced me to
Christophe Gains, Mark Dacoscos and Samuel Le Bihan.
Truly wonderfully shot movie, the scenes and colours are great.
Mark Dacoscos who plays Mani adds a mysterious effect to the
movie with his lithe body and juggling tricks. I love
films that have unexpected endings as Samuel Be Bihan portrays.
I would agree that the "Creature" was alittle disappointing and
thought that designs could have held more imagination. Storyline okay. Did not like the scene of the killing of the
wolves, I am sure this kind of thing did happen when people are
scared and did the obvious. However, I did buy it and because I just love the way it is shot. I particularly like the first fight scene in the rain,
and how Mani jumps from his horse and how the camera switches
to his water soaked boots and kicks up the rain and then you
left being hypnotised by the rain drops for a couple of seconds
and then full burst into martial arts action. If you want something a little unusual to watch, then I would
recommend this Film.
Rating:
Summary: a good action/horror movie
Review: Based on an 18th Century French legend, Brotherhood of the Wolf focuses on the hunt for a mysterious wolf like creature terrorizing the French countryside. Apparently, the wolf only seeks out women and children. The King sends one of his scientists (a taxidermist who has gotten himself involved in some battles) to discover the truth as to what is happening and also to stop the killings/maulings. The taxidermist arrives with his American Indian companion. As they are hosted at a local castle, they learn of the history of this beast and get involved in the local politics a bit. The story is a little convoluted, and only gets more so as the movie goes on. However, the film is just the setting for some amazing action sequences that are reminiscent of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. While the reasoning behind these fight sequences are not always clear, the action is some of the best you will see in a movie. With the interest building of what the beast actually looks like, the actual appearance of it is somewhat of a let down. This is not too much of a problem since the movie does require the viewer to suspend disbelief for the more than 2 hour running length of the film. I'm not sure how well this movie will age, but right now, it is definitely worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Brotherhood of the Wolf
Review: A great blend of Action and a bit of Horror on the side
Brotherhood of the Wolf is a must see for fans of kung-fu
action Matrix style. The story begins in a little town in
France called Gevaudon and in this town a killer beast ravages
through a massive forest near the countryside. Two men
Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and a Mohawk Indian named
Mani (Mark Dacascos) are sent by King Louis XV two find out
if the beast is actully real and if so is it killing the people
of Gevaudon. There journey takes them deep into the the dark
forest of Gevaudon and they meet many different people on the
way. Will Fronsac and Mani kill the beast in time before more
victims are killed? Or will the beast kill them both...
Rating:
Summary: RUN--don't walk--away from this movie!!!
Review: My GF and I made the mistake of renting this movie last night. Now, from the previews when it came out orginally, we both thought it looked like a cool werewolf movie, like a Bram Stoker's Dracula-type treatment. What we got instead was pain almost beyond words as we sat through 144 minutes of hell. The kind of movie that crys out for
the MST3K treatment. A muddy shambles of a plot "Hey movie, if you come anywhere near a plot, GRAB HOLD WITH BOTH HANDS!" action sequences that, while it broke the monotomy for a short time, were not enough to free you from the bleak, lethargic, numbness the rest of the movie caused. "Yeah, all American Indians knew how to do kung-fu. Didn't they teach us that on the first day of history class??" "Its a 100+ minutes into the film. Shouldn't we at least SEE this 'beast' by now???" By the time you get to the pulse-pounding climax, you honestly don't care anymore about the plot (what plot?), action (yawn), or characters ("Go Beast! Kill them all and end this turkey early!!!"). I didn't dare check out the DVD's special features. This movie had hurt me enough. Supposedly there are deleted scenes--which surprised me, considering this movie was padded and padded right from the get-go. In short: I want to hurt the makers behind this movie like they hurt me. Avoid at all cost.
Rating:
Summary: America may be turning Anti-French but this may change minds
Review: Brotherhood of the Wolf caught me off-guard. I expected mediocrity with a weak plot and a lot of action. The first scene came to my expectations but in cinematic glory that has the looks of the Matrix. After he defeats these "goons" within the first 10 minutes of the movie it just goes on and sets up the story. Brotherhood takes place in a colony-seeking France where wigs and pale faces were the "hip" thing to do. It circles around two men. One is an Indian that doesn't talk too much at first but opens up later and the other is a taxidermist that is on assignment to figure out what is causing all the deaths in the province that the movie takes place in. What ales this area is a beast of freakish nature that continually kills wondering people going about their business. As the story unravels you continue to question who is on whose side. It all ends in an interesting note and is definitely worth seeing. The DVD includes the usual stuff like actor's history, etc. Also featured are deleted/extended scenes with the director's introductions that are actually interesting unlike some I've seen. Everything has been translated well but sometimes you question the lip-syncing. Very well done movie.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent folly, way ahead of its time
Review: 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.
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