I just got home from seeing Red Riding Hood. Yes, it was an advanced viewing - lucky enough that Lorabell from Confessions of a Twicrack Addict happened to receive free tickets and was kind enough to invite me. I love it when my boring Wednesday evening turns into something exciting and Twilight related.
If you haven't heard Red Riding Hood is the latest film directed by Catherine Hardwicke who directed Twilight. Red Riding Hood was filmed here in Vancouver, B.C. and those reasons were enough for me to want to see it. Not to mention that you know I love Amanda Siegfried from her performance in Mamma Mia (see my post here from summer 2010 - Amanda sings beautifully).
It's tough to review this without giving too many spoilers so be warned. Amanda plays a girl named Valerie who lives in a small town on the edge of a dark forest. A werewolf has been preying on this town for generations and keeps the people in fear of every full moon. The killings had stopped for a while with the townspeople offering their best livestock as sacrifices but somehow it starts again. Valerie is childhood sweethearts with Peter (Shiloh Fernandez). But she ends up in an arranged marriage with a wealthy blacksmith named Henry (Max Irons).
Besides having the Twilight indie feel that I have come to associate with Catherine Hardwicke, this story has hints of Twilight with Valerie being caught between what's good for her and what her heart wants. Billy Burke plays Valerie's father. We had hoped he would make an appearance since the Twilight cast were staying only a block away. But alas I think the idea of press and fans at the end of a workday was too much for him so the Twilight gods weren't with us tonight.
My thoughts? Overall I liked it and I'm glad that I saw it. This movie is visually stunning. Lots of snow and mist. It's B.C. weather at its best. The actors were all pleasant enough to look at as well. The main love interest Peter played by Shiloh Fernandez had an Edward Cullen-ness to him - it was the dark complexion and the hair. Also the black sheep bad boy look helped his appeal.
Lorabell was more fond of Max Iron's character Henry who is the "friend" in the love triangle.
If you're looking for steamy love scenes I'll remind you this movie is rated PG-13. Nothing too risque going on but more than Twilight at least.
I already see that this film has been roasted by critics. You know I'm a fan of Twilight and its sequels and they've all received their fair share of Razzie nominations. So do I really care what critics say? Not when it comes to my 14 year old teenage girl side that somehow didn't come out until I was in my mid thirties.
Let me know what you think when you've seen it. It comes to theatres this Friday.