Brotherhood of the Wolf

aka: Le Pacte des Loups
France 2001, 142 minutes
Dir. Christophe Gans
In French with English subtitles
Rating: [R16]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Action/Adventure, Horror / Walking Dead

Feat. Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Mark Dacascos

Aroview: A ripping, action-packed 18th century detective story based on the true-life case of the Beast of Gevaudan – a killer or creature who killed hundreds in southern France.

While throwing no light on this mystery, this pulpy high-concept thriller has its own loopy fun, injecting martial arts punch ups and swirling, incomprehensible subplots – about taxidermy, sacred mushrooms, fetishism, Iroquois Indian lore and aristocratic incest – for added interest. Straight-faced to the point of absurdity, but a stunningly designed and entertaining gallop all the same.