The final two (yes, two!) Twilight films won't be released in theaters until the end of 2011 and 2012, leaving Twihards with a severe deficit of tween melodrama and fantasy. Good news for fans though, as Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke may be able to curb their cravings with Red Riding Hood (in theaters now.) "It" girl of the moment Amanda Seyfried stars as Valerie (aka, Red) in this update of the classic tale.For decades, the people of the village of Daggerhorn have maintained an uneasy truce with a werewolf, who prowls at every full moon. But under a blood red moon the wolf changes the stakes by taking the life of one of their own. The victim is the older sister of Valerie, who has just found out that her parents (Billy Burke and Virginia Madsen) have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons.) But Valerie wants only Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), the poor woodcutter she has loved all her life.
As the townspeople hunger for revenge, famed werewolf hunter Father Solomon (Gary Oldman) is summoned to kill the beast once and for all. But Solomon's arrival brings only more turmoil as he warns everyone that the werewolf takes human form by day and could be any one of them. Panic grips the town as the death toll rises with each red moon, tearing apart the once close-knit village. But who is the wolf?
Considering that I am not a teen girl I knew going into the screening that this movie was not for me, but those in the right demographic will surely love the teen romance and jumpy scares of Red Riding Hood. If you've seen the trailer you should have a pretty good idea going into the movie whether you'll like it or not, but for what its worth Red was pretty enjoyable if you set your expectations correctly. The scenery was beautiful, and Red's grandma (played by Oscar winner Julie Christie) added just enough spunk and humor to the flick. Plus, even I was puzzled throughout the film trying to figure the wolf's identity.
Check out the trailer for Red Riding Hood here:
Red Riding Hood is recommended for:
- Twihards needing a fantasy fix
- Those looking to embrace their inner tween
- Amanda Seyfried fans
Not recommended for:
- Anti-tweens
- Those scared of the big, bad wolf
- Those scared of the big, bad wolf