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The good and the bad
"Brotherhood of the Wolf" - starring Mark Dacascos
02.27 - Posted by Editor
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Brotherhood of the Wolf:
an ambitious French action flick that is hard to categorize but easy to love.
Review by Minki Kim
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2.27.02 -- "Le Pacte des Loups," a.k.a. "Brotherhood of the Wolf," is a film that tries hard to stand apart from the rest of the pack (excuse the pun). And who can blame its filmmakers? The last thing we need is another unoriginal action flick. But does "Le Pacte" succeed where so many others fail? Yes and no. "Yes," because on the surface, it's a refreshing attempt at unconventional cross-genre juggling. "No," because digging a little deeper uncovers a film stunted by its own ingenuity: it stretches itself so thin that the best it can achieve is mediocrity.
Not to say I didn't like it. I did. I enjoyed it. Very much, in fact. Heck, I'll even go out on a limb and say this is the best "French costume drama martial arts werewolf secret society romance" out there!
"Le Pacte" is based upon an eighteenth century legend about a series of mysterious attacks in southeast France. But don't expect much of a history lesson. It takes the premise and runs with it. The film opens in true horror genre fashion with a monster and a busty peasant woman. She is attacked and the rumor spreads. Two strangers come to investigate: Fronsac, an official appointed by the King, and Mani, his Native American friend. They explore, things happen, adventures ensue. Kind of like "Sleepy Hollow" with kung fu.
Before anything else, I offer a warning. Many of the criticisms about "Le Pacte" are true. The plot is uneven and insipid. The last twenty minutes is completely baffling and a waste of time. The monster is a disappointment due to inferior effects, cliched devices, and ambiguous definitions. The character development is absurd and inconsistent. And the martial arts choreography, like the Beast, is different but nothing new. Taking up the model set by "The Matrix," "Le Pacte" incorporates too much slow-motion and too many meaningless camera effects. I expected something fresh and original from a European attempt at kung fu, but this is pretty much a Hollywood production made in France. When will Western filmmakers learn that you don't slow down martial artists, you speed them up (or in the case of Jet Li, you don't do anything).
But despite all these debilitating weaknesses, "Le Pacte" is an enormous success in its home country; so much so that a three DVD set is available for its fans. I can't say I understand the phenomenon, but there are two good reasons why you should join it: 1) the cinematography and 2) Mark Dacascos.
The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission. It's a tragedy that so many people will miss "Le Pacte" in its limited state-side theater run because a home-viewing will never do justice to the spectacular visuals.
Folks, "Le Pacte" is pure eye candy, equaling, perhaps even surpassing, well-known powerhouse productions like "Gladiator" and "The Lord of the Rings." The astounding part of it all is that while Ridley Scott and Peter Jackson utilize heavy CGI to fulfill their visions, Christophe Gans uses only the landscapes of France to create a world that is impossibly unreal.
In one particular scene that stands out in my mind, Fronsac is chasing his love interest through the woods. The trees they pass are luminously white and there are so many of them that the screen glows. Marianne, the love interest, weaves through these glorious trees on a white horse wearing a crimson costume made of this velvety, exotic, shimmering, intoxicating material. The contrast of the colors and textures is breathtaking.
For those of you who need more incentive than flashy visuals, I direct you to the wonderful cast. Monica Bellucci is alluring, mysterious and supremely confident. She shows the finesse of an exceptional actress in an unexceptional role. Emilie Dequenne is perfect as the sheltered and oppressed Marianne. Her rosy cheeks and slightly chubby face resemble those of a Raphaelian cherub. And Vincent Cassel, a well-known French actor, does wonders with his unoriginal character. Bearing a visage that ingrains itself into your memory, he evokes the same charismatic creepiness that Gary Oldman does.
But who's the real star of the movie? None other than the tragically unrecognized Mark Dacascos. If his lightning-fast moves don't impress you, then his long black hair and his skimpy loincloth surely will!
You may laugh, but what can I say? I've come to love this guy. Given, Dacascos is a B-movie actor who will never reach even a fraction of the fame that Jet Li or Jackie Chan have. But he's far more dexterous and agile and charismatic than Van Damme or any of the other wannabe martial arts actors out there. If you've seen him as Reptile in "Mortal Kombat" (yes that was him behind the mask), you get a glimpse of how amazingly quick he is and how thrilling he is to watch. And anyone else happen to catch Steve Wang's "Drive" on cable? It's the best American martial arts film I've seen to date.
Dacascos dominates the screen in "Le Pacte," even with just 20 lines or so and a relatively small build. There is never a moment when you don't believe he can do the things he does. And what he does, my friends, is kick some serious butt. Even with stifling camera work, Dacascos shines through. His finest moment comes in an action sequence two thirds into the film. At a point of desperation and need, Fronsac, Mani (Dacascos), and a supporting character attempt to trap the Beast. Dacascos, with intimidating war paint all over his face, stands in a ravine to await the monster... all by himself. Where are the other two? Hiding up top on the cliff behind him with their long-range weapons at the ready. Cowards! Or are they the smart ones?
Here comes the Beast, showing itself on the other cliff. And, in a moment that is so blatantly absurd as to be completely rousing, Dacascos raises his hands to reveal, not a gun, not a bow, not even a sword, but a tomahawk. What happens next is a series of chases, close calls, released traps, and general mayhem. Kinetic, fast-paced, and exciting, the whole sequence is dialogue-free, allowing you to take in all the powerful hits and poundings without distraction. It is exhilarating.
Mark Dacascos isn't shattering any racial prejudices with his involvement in "Le Pacte des Loups", but I find it flattering that he's in a French film to begin with. Gans probably made it easier for him since they've worked together before ("Crying Freeman"). But without a doubt, Dacascos was the most versatile choice -- can you imagine Jet Li or Jackie Chan taking a stab at French? Neither can I. Honestly, it's a thrill just to be able to watch an underrated Asian American actor playing such a prominent role in a foreign blockbuster. And as an added bonus, he hasn't resorted to portraying the silent, brooding, menacing kung-fu master/samurai warrior/gun-toting gambler. Ironically enough, he's portraying the silent, mystical, dependable tomahawk-toting Iroquois shaman. But hey, you can't have everything.
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Actually, La Bete was not a legend, and far more of a series of killings in France. La Bete killed over 200 women and children during her reign, until she was killed by Jean Chastel. There are many theories about her, some more outstanding than others.
If you want to know more about her go to this very good site I found:\
www.labete.7hunters.net
aloha!pehea'oe.wai i maikai!see,because of mark dacascos i even started learning hawaiian and capoeira.he is something that you can't explain by words.i think i said enough and i love him from the first day i saw him.aloha au i mark.
mahalo!
i love his movie...and i like his action figure. mark dacascus is one of my fave....he is my distant cousin...one of the few surviving relatives left...only, he never knew.
I love Mark in anything he portrays as he is a gifted and talented man. I figured the surname 'Dacascos' was probably of Fillipino origin as it didn't sound Japanese, Chinese, Irish nor Spanish.
ive heard mark dacascos was looking for his roots in the philippines. i may be of help. my grandfather's middle name is dacuscus. ope you can relay this mesag to him. thank you so much.
I love watching mark everytime & i can't stop thinking about his hard punches+breathtaking Martial prowess .To me he's the best& toughest martial artist i have ever watched on the screen .
Oh, He's my Hero anyday!
i happen to have watched the movie,and i have to tell u,mark dacascus is one hell of a martial artist.i just wish i could fight like him.
i liked the movie, was pleasantly surprised to see my asian bro' dacascus in it, he was fun to watch. belluci was yummy, in this role. the movie was bit slow, overall, and my fiance quicly lost interest after 20 minutes.
[Originally posted 1/18/03 - Ed.]
well i am native american, and i liked it, it was a generally good movie, just enjoy a movie don't waste urtime trashing it, I WANT FACE PAINT LIKE MANI!
[Originally posted 4/4/02 - Ed.]
yeah..no, seriously, this movie was really bad. like, really bad. Oh, i "got it", or whatever there was to get, and i understood all the element of the plot etc. it just sucked. too much was jammed into and given too much time to develop nowhere. in fact, it was staggering how awful it was. a total waste of money when there are poor people around the world who could have been given scholarships to go to school instead. and i also agree, any enjoyment of the movie died when tonto did.
[Originally posted 10/16/02 - Ed.]
I and my friends now rank films on a scale of Brotherhood of the Wolf to 10. This film is a complete rubbish. One can imagine, then, what it feels like when the main protagonist proclaims, after two hours, that his "vengeance is only just beginning". This is a horror-drama-action "film" about an animalist and kung-fu partner trying to terminate a giant African porcupine eating locals. Not intended to be a comedy. Based on, but should not in any way be compared to, "La Bete du Gevaudan", the old French classic.
[Originally posted 9/25/02 - Ed.]
In case anybody actually LIKED the flick, just letting you know there's a 2 or 3 disc (you heard right, two or THREE disc) set coming out in canada the same time the one-disc american dvd is being released. Basically they will carry over the features from the French 3-disc set with french dts audio...and english dub I believe. It has been confirmed that all the extras will be subtitled in english, except for the audio commentaries, which are still in question. so hold off buying the cheap usa version. admittedly, universal may come out with an "ultimate" edition eventually, but I doubt it'll be any better than the aforementioned canadian version. Just FYI.
[Originally posted 7/30/02 - Ed.]
I must agree with my brother Simon who eloquently pointed the poor JAWS ref. The film was pretty cheesy. I do however dig my B-Film Pinoy/Mestizo brother DACASCOS who really made the film anything to watch. I hope he'll break out of these lame roles and hit a good indie flick. Who is his casting
[Originally posted 4/1102 - Ed.]
The words French and action film are seldom juxtaposed, and "Brotherhood Of The Wolf" is one example of how a bad idea can be made worse. If I wanted to watch Jaws and Sleepy Hollow, I would go to my video store and rent them for three bucks(without the subtitles). Throw in a little HK martial arts and some French Oh la la and you get over two hours of foul, cross-genre chop suey. In the opening scene, a busty "peasant woman" is being chased by the beast and climbs up a giant rock. The creature grabs hold of her and thrusts her violently from side to side. If memory serves me correctly, wasn't that the opening of Jaws? Indeed, almost shot- for-shot. The mysterious plot revelation in "Brotherhood Of The Wolf" would have been interesting as well if not for a little movie called Sleepy Hollow. I did enjoy Mark Dacascos' character, but the film died when he did and what the hell happened during the last twenty minutes of the film? I thought I was watching Geronimo but with a French guy. Were there redeeming qualitites to this film? Probably, but why smell the cheese if it's going to give you diarrhea?! Just my .02$
[Originally posted 4/4/02 - Ed.]
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