If anyone even mentions the term re-boot in regards to this film, we’ll scream – howl even. What this is, is a sombre, faithful re-telling of the classic werewolf tale of old.

Acting on the Victorian London stage is Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), who despite his American accent, has returned to his home country. He receives a letter from a Gwen Conliffe(Emily Blunt), who it turns out is his brother’s fiancée, informing him that his brother has mysteriously disappeared and that she fears the worst.

This news sees Talbot return to the country setting of Blackmoor, where his family estate lies – still run by his estranged father (Anthony Hopkins) – to help with the search. Sadly, he is too late, as his brother is soon discovered, brutally murdered. Rumours, spread by fearful locals, suggest that local gypsies may have had something to do with it, in particular their dancing bear. When Talbot decides to investigate further however, he discovers that the truth behind the killings is far sinister.

8 ,9, 10. Right you big furball, coming, ready or not!

Despite the interest of Inspector Aberline (Hugo Weaving) – one of Scotland Yard’s finest – Talbot takes it upon himself to hunt down this creature. It’s not long before he finds it too, although he most certainly comes off second best, with the beast biting into his flesh, before running off. It doesn’t take Talbot, or indeed Inspector Aberline long, to realise that the beast has passed on its dreaded curse.

Now with the power of the beast running through his veins, Talbot finds the shoe now on the other paw, as he soon becomes hunted himself. What he’s yet to discover though, is that there’s more to this curse than he first realised.

The film is said to be paying homage to the original wolfie Lon Chaney Jnr. and the lycan character he portrayed in various films throughout the forties. However, perhaps it’s the fact that it’s set in England, and that with the Victorian setting and support English cast, it feels more like a bloody love letter to a certain house of Hammer. The only thing missing is the appearance of Christopher Lee or Peter Cushion.

Director Joe Johnson has done a great job in creating an authentic and unsettling atmosphere. He’s also helped out by some of the best in the business. Supplying a truly rich soundtrack is Danny Elfman, who must have given time off for good behaviour from all his cinematic projects for Tim Burton – including the forthcoming Alice in Wonderland.

And then you have the wolf design itself. Obviously there’s only one person who could ever really be considered for the project, and that’s the wolf-meister himself, Rick Baker. He was the man responsible for creating the special make-up effects for the ground-breaking An American Werewolf in London, way back in 1981, as well as Michael Jackson’s memorable transformation in his Thriller video.

Baker’s work here is breathtakingly realistic, with a creature that has a genuinely natural feel about him. The transformation feels highly plausible too, and you can’t ask for much more than that.

Both Hopkins and Weaving are both highly engaging and appear to really relish their respective roles. Del Toro however, comes across as a little on the 2 dimensional side; It’s an understated performance, perhaps in attempt to be faithful to the character, but this means that the occasions he’s not in wolf form, Talbot suffers from being a dull. This is a shame, as he could have had a bit more fun playing the part, particularly when you consider that Talbot’s profession is thespian.

Emily Blunt is seemingly at a loss as to what her character should be doing; considering it takes her all of 3 minutes to get over the death of her fiancée before making googly eyes at Talbot, it’s difficult for audiences to be sympathetic towards her. In reality, there was no need for her, as the romance angle isn’t one that is explored that much – quite rightly too.

The film also takes itself a bit too seriously. A little light relief would have been welcome, from any corner, but sadly there are just too many po-faced characters, looking sternly into the distance.

The story is also on the predictable side. Despite one welcome twist in the plot, the wolfman’s plight never veers from the obvious. If the audience has an inkling of how it’s all going to end, the journey there is less satisfying.

It’s at its best however when the beast is let loose. Not only does he look great, he also doesn’t mess about where killing is concerned. It’s gruesome without ever being over the top. The biggest disappointment is that we don’t see nearly enough of him.

Overall, The Wolfman is a worthy attempt at remaining faithful to its cinematic history, without pandering to any contemporary story structures or character traits. It looks and sounds great throughout, and when the furry one is in full flow, you simply won’t be able to take your eyes off of him. It’s just a shame that it holds so few surprises.