Big Screen Blurb: Red Riding Hood

First up...my advance apology! Forgive me if this review lacks the quirk, insight and 'hint of wit' (--that's the right descriptive, right Kara?) that I've been told these reviews deliver. I saw this flick Wednesday night in the middle of a live showing of Wizard of Oz; well, in the middle of a tornado anyway because we sure weren't in Kansas anymore. Never fear...we didn't start in Kansas, so it was all good. However, rumbling winds and pounding hail made me want to run to the parking lot just to throw my body across the hood of my pummeled L! I say all of that to say simply this: I was distracted okay! 

Red Riding Hood is a blend of a classic tale told in a very unique way. Yes, you get the standard fare expected line of: "Grandmother...what big eyes you have!", but it's story delivered in an intriguing way that holds one's interest, drawing you in to what becomes a great mystery to solve. (Having solved the murder at last November's Murder Mystery Party, I thought I had a leg up...wrong! I got burned!)

Red Riding Hood (a.k.a. Valerie played by Amanda Seyfried) is in between that well-known rock and hard place. Well, actually there are two hard places, because two fellas gots-it-bad for Red. The problem is she's involuntarily engaged to one when her ticker belongs to the other. Henry (Max Irons) is her betrothed, a successful man in the ole village. Meanwhile, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez) is a simple wood-cutter, which is apparently code for peasant in this world. BTW...this is a very unique world we've entered in Red Riding Hood--we're not talking about Manhattan here. It's a technology starved village from a time that is clearly off the charts and in a land clearly uncharted. Let's just say it takes place post-caveman and light years before any communication device hit the streets.

This village has had it's ups and downs. Mostly downs, actually. You see there is a wolf that has connected to this village for eons. Now, after years of gratefully accepting the poor little pig left tied to the front porch, the wolf takes up a craving for human blood. The wolf kills Red's sister. This obviously angers the villagers who are left crying, "Hey...didn't we have a deal with the wolf!" So, they try to hunt it down. Wrong answer. The wolf kills again. Enter Father Solomon (Gary Oldman). He's the out-of-town padre with a ton of devil in him. Along the way, he sheds some light on the wolf, who is actually a werewolf and a much tougher kill. Yadayadayada the village is out to catch a werewolf while we're all left trying to figure out which of the villagers needs a major hair removal treatment for the ole back.

It's pretty good. I'll go with 3.0 Stars. It's a classic story told in such a unique way with a mystery that anchors it nicely. It was almost enough to distract me from wondering what state my car had landed in due to the twister! Yes, the mystery anchors it. However, it's this unique world that truly solidifies the tale. Anytime you 'create' a world in an imaginary time frame, presumably taking place on earth, there are rules automatically created as well. Sticking to those rules makes for a viable setting. This story does that nicely. The acting is sound. Attractive people doing attractive things in a believable way! What's not to appreciate, right?

If mystery intrigues you...along with an interestingly familiar storyline...see it. You're running out of time on the ole "See it Big" (sorry for the late review btw). Soooo...rent it, if nothing else!

True...OUT!