Review - Red Riding Hood

My What Big Eyes You’ll Need

Little Red Riding Hood is a classic tale that every little boy and girl has grown up with. The story of a young girl heading to Grandma’s house and the Big Bad Wolf that stands in her way. Now we have the new version of the classic tale, only this one is for the kids that have grown up.

Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is living in a classic village. It’s a village that has simple things going on. Thatch huts and residents that lock their doors and leave a sacrifice nightly for the wolf and it’s been that way for years. As Valerie has grown up, she remains close to the one boy that knows her, Peter (Shiloh Ferandez). She loves Peter, but her parents have other plans for her, arranging a marriage with Henry (Max Irons). This love triangle, however, is the least of the worries for this little village.

The wolf is back and wants one thing, Valerie. Give him Valerie and he will stop the carnage. But who is this wolf that is terrorizing these people? Will anyone survive his attacks?

I really wanted to like this film. It looks so stylish and fun. Amanda Seyfried is someone that I have come to like more and more each time I see her. Did I say it looks stylish? I did? Ok, I think I’ve run short of the good for Red Riding Hood.

Fact is, there is more suspending belief in this film than in some of the most far out science fiction plots. The villagers that are simpletons that just don’t understand their surroundings, a wolf that mauls anything in its path and a love story that just screams for something to make it work are all the elements that are wrong.

This is a film that elicits laughter at times instead of the proper level of tension and fear. I never felt anything for the characters that were in danger, and the more visual attention to detail took place, the less I bought the film. Yes there are moments, but truly you need those big eyes to see them.

C-

Red Riding Hood
Warner Brothers Pictures

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons

Rating: PG-13 for violence and creature terror, and some sensuality.
Runtime: 100 minutes.