Brotherhood of the Wolf

This is part of my section on alternative film recommendations, check out the Films to See category for other recommendations.

Brotherhood of the Wolf is a French-language film (with subtitles, though you do get a dubbed English-language track on the DVD) based on a myth/legend of a werewolf killing people in 18th Century France. This isn’t your typical period piece. Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan), the royal naturalist, is despatched to hunt down ‘the beast.’ Accompanying Fronsac is Mani (Mark Dacascos), a Native American who is deadly with or without a weapon. They track the beast, learning more with each new attack as Fronsac applies science to the problem. When the beast isn’t attacking, they mix with local society, and Fronsac continues to be the hunter, Mademoiselle Morangias being his chosen prey. Slowly they begin to unravel the mystery and figure out a chilling truth: someone is controlling the beast. The film is beautifully shot and is packed with stunts, action and slow-mo. It’s not hardcore horror, more action thriller, but well worth persevering with the subtitles.