Catherine Hardwicke’s Red Riding Hood follows suit with her previously embraced pouty-teenagers-in-love-and-in-danger formula (ahem… Twilight), which makes for a by-the-book, predictable movie. Probably the only way you’ll get your money’s worth in seeing the film is its wide-eyed ingénue, Amanda Seyfried, in the title role. If those long, crisp shots of the blonde actress cloaked in a striking red cape didn’t offer so much darn glossy cinematography (à la sexy music video), then the film would be a total loss.
The former Big Love co-star has gracefully graduated into America’s sweetheart territory with her résumé of work in Dear John, Letters to Juliet, and Mamma Mia!, building up a following of hopeful young girls who haven’t hopped onto the Kristen-Stewart-train.
Suffice to say, Movie Buzzers has built up this film based solely on a very edgy and eye-catching trailer meant to appeal to the teenage demographic with the hopes that its overall composition would garner positive reviews. However, upon actually seeing the one-hundred minute film (and by the way, teenage-dom was almost ten years ago for me), it’s something I could’ve waited to see on DVD or order from Netflix.
Orphan writer David Johnson is behind the script (and he is currently working on Wrath of the Titans). The best element of his contribution was perhaps Seyfried’s few and far between voice-overs, especially at the film’s close.
The combination of actors is very clumsy, including a typecast and underwhelming Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight), awkward Lukas Haas (Inception), and a sort of creepy Julie Christie (Finding Neverland) as the endangered “Grandmother.” In fact, there was actually little chemistry that jumped off the screen between Seyfried as Valerie and her primary love interest Peter, played by Robert Pattinson-meets-Colin Farrell look-alike, newcomer Shiloh Fernandez.
Of course Valerie wants to be with Peter because he’s got the poor, bad boy reputation as a wood cutter, but her ill-matched parents (Virginia Madsen of Sideways and Billy Burke of Twilight) have promised their daughter to the most noble of suitors, Daniel, played by Max Irons (yes, the son of actor, Jeremy). Irons offers some credibility to what has the potential to be a believable romance between the two, but naturally Valerie’s heart is already spoken for. Although it would’ve served the movie’s benefit to spend a little more in-depth time with Madsen’s character, aside from just a few scenes including the Oscar nominee’s under-developed, passing subplot.
Right away, we learn that the wolf is targeting Valerie’s family, thus the “who-dunnit’ fiasco begins in the small village. While the combination of a fairy tale origin and murder-mystery suspense makes for a very marketable and pretty film, this is really just a stepping stone for Seyfried to accomplish greater things on screen as a leading lady. After all, Anne Hathaway had to deliver Ella Enchanted and Michelle Williams starred in Halloween H20 before they could earn some heavy Oscar-worthy opportunities.
Red Riding Hood may pick up a few MTV Movie Award popcorn statues for Best Kiss or something, but it’s far from revolutionizing the way Hollywood is reinterpreting classic fairy tales for a modern audience. You can’t forget about Tim Burton’s very successful turn with Alice in Wonderland last year, which has set the standard for this genre. Now the race is on for all the different Snow White attempts and a Hansel & Gretel reboot.
My overall grade for this movie would have to be a “B,” while other critics may look more towards a “C” grade. Seyfried has all the right stuff for her coming-of-age part in this bland thriller, yet all the hyped scenes of wolf attacks border on campy. Although you can’t forget about Hardwicke’s vision for the actual wolf itself which was pretty badass until (SPOILER!!!!!!!) it starts speaking. Yeah, exactly.
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