Movie Review: Red Riding Hood

I saw this movie months ago, but have been putting off writing the review. So the movie is not fresh in my head, but I am still able to tell you all about this... interesting take on an old fairy tale. We have all heard the story of Little Red Riding Hood who wore a red cape when taking a basket to her grandmother. She is tricked by the wolf and is saved by a woodsman. So how did we get this teen movie? The director Twilight gave it to us.

Synopsis: Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon... Written by Warner Bros. Pictures  




Review: To say this movie is loosely based on an old fairy tale is an understatement. To be honest when I heard this was a movie I was confused how it was going to become sexy and appeal to young adults. I guess with movies like Twilight anything supernatural is now hot and sexy. There's now a book genre called "Teen Paranormal Romance" if you think I am joking walk into any Barnes and Nobles and you will find it. I'm not sure how the paranormal became hot and popular, but I liked it better when it wasn't. 


This movie isn't too bad, I rather sit through this one than any of the Twilight movies. If you ignore everything you know of the fable and watch this movie you will honestly forget about the story you were told as a child. I'm not sure what time period the story is suppose to take place, but in this movie it's medieval times. They did a good job keeping with the time period of how superstitious people back then were. The colors of the movie were good as well. The red cape popped on screen while the snowy white scenery made everything look pure. 


What I enjoyed about the movie is that you were constantly guessing who the wolf was. Yes, in this movie it's a werewolf and not a wolf, but still the writer (who wrote the screenplays for The Green Mile and the Orphan) made it a huge guessing game. I like mysteries so I was glad that you never knew who it was until the end. I love that with movies. Don't give me the inside knowledge of who did it keep me guessing. You'll get me to sit through your movie longer


What I disliked about the movie was the silly romance love triangle thing. I am not sure why teens/ young adults and sometimes adults like movies where the girl has to pick between two lovers, I find it annoying. Be glad you have men after you and pick the one you actually love or the one that has more money. I don't care which, just don't keep teetering between them. I almost want to say it's just about the same plot-line as Twilight, but without the vampire. I said almost, but if you believe there's some similarities then obviously I am not the only one. 




So should you rent this movie... if you like Twilight and that whole sexy paranormal minus the Winchester brothers then yeah. If you rather watch actual blood, gore and scare you so bad you piss your self then don't. This movie is targeted towards teenage girls.