How sad is this?

Boring

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Supernatural tales that are "based on a true story" tend to bother me. Basically because "based on a true story" actually means it's based on a screenwriter's idea that's based on Chinese whispers that are based on speculative initial reports that are based on superstition. Someone's house creaks and a century later I'm watching balls like An American Haunting. But I was keen to see Romasanta anyway for 2 big reasons. One: It's based on a true story of a werewolf that killed 13 people and we all know that, unlike ghosts, werewolves are real. Two: It's directed by Paco Plaza and I just love movies made by Mexican shopping centres.To be honest, this one didn't really hold my attention at all so I'll be brief. It's very nicely shot with some lush scenery and a good sense of time and place. There's not a whole lot of blood which is surprising considering it's a period piece **badum-tish**, but there are some good gruesome aftermath shots of corpses shown in various states of post-slaughter rest. One of these moments even shows some dead 15 year old boobs, so any depraved perverts reading should check it out for that part alone. Also includes a few bits of violence toward children and animals which is always welcome on my TV.Now to the things I didn't like. I don't generally mind when actors play the role of a character not of their own country. I like Sean Connery in The Untouchables, even though he sounds less Irish than I do. But British actors playing Spaniards? Julian Sands is a decent actor, but you know what he isn't? He isn't Senor Manuel Blanco Romasanta and he never will be. Hearing someone who's as quintessentially English as the Queen (the parts of her that aren't French or German anyway) repeatedly referred to as "Senor" is just silly.Also, I was kind of in the mood for werewolves and the werewolf parts are brief. Really it's just the story of some douchebag murderer. So I suppose the film's title is accurate, as long as the subscript 'The Werewolf Hunt' was intended as Cockney rhyming slang...

Is her a serial killer or a werewolf? That question is left for you to answer.Francisco Plaza's thrill/horror film is based upon true events that happened a couple of hundred years ago in Spain.Julian Sands, who plays Manuel Romasanta has appeared in a lot of horror movies. He is also scheduled to be in Ocean's 13. Will we have a werewolf there? He dispatches his victims in a gruesome manner, some quickly, and some he takes time to enjoy, like the lovely Elsa Pataky.This is not a great film, but it is slightly interesting. It also stars Ivana Baquero, who was in last year's El Laberinto del fauno. More on that film later.

I saw this film the other day after buying it on spec, mainly because I am a big Julian Sands fan and usually pay little attention to critics. I have to say please don't be put off by other comments on here - this is an okay film for a rainy evening, and certainly nowhere near as bad as others say.I'm not sure I've put any spoilers as such in from this point, but better to be safe than sorry:Julian Sands is quite good as the main protagonist of the title, he tends to keep you guessing as to his true motives towards Barbra; and after his murders his more mundane every day actions are all the more chilling as you feel, knowing what you do as the viewer, you're almost an accomplice because you can't tell other characters what he's done. The fact it's based on a true story is also a plus point.It was a fairly good film; solid and with good performances. The best was from David Gant as Professor Philips, a brilliant actor and very compelling in all the films I've seen him in. However, this role in particular was great as the methods used back then to discern someone's reason for being a criminal are now laughable, but they took them so seriously; he certainly carried the character perfectly and made him utterly believable.Anyway, worth a look if you see it around - be warned though, it's quite gory in places; with rotting corpses and the like, so not to be watched if you're easily sickened or if the kids are about.

I watched this movie like months ago and have remembered it ever since I began to try and hunt down the actor that played Manuel! I love this kind of stuff and thought that this movie was awesome. I don't get why people don't like it. Is it because it's not gory? Is it because there no real insight to the killing? Or is it because it's based on a true story? I dunno... I must give this movie a 10 because it's just one of the best werewolf movies I've seen... and I've seen a lot! I love the sensuality of the movie... and the way Teresa's sister finally gets her head on straight and realizes that he must be killed, although I was a little sad. I also loved how the movie just went smoothly, never contradicting itself like many movies do. This movie may not explain werewolves, but it does do the race some justice after movies like American Werewolf or American Werewolf in Paris (or something like that) really gave a bad and false view of them. One of the bests I've seen so far! =)