Blood And Chocolate (DVD)

OK, unlike most reviewers out there, I am not going to give this film a poor rating. It is true, the film does not proceed at a lupine pace; rather, it moves with the dexterity of an injured wolf. Far too much attention in the script-writing has been focused on the use of cliched dialogue and squelchy love scenes. The acting is bland at best, especially the lead actress, Agnes Bruckner, and co-star, Bryan Dick. Hugh Dancy ['Poe', 'Bronte', 'Black Hawk Down'] saves this film with a good solid performance as the debonair waif-like comic artist who is surprisingly self-sufficient when it comes to battling these creatures.

I was nevertheless impressed by the darker aspects of the film [when they did appear], especially the opening sequence where the hunters, flashlights mounted on their rifles, tracked down and killed Vivian's family one snowy night. In fact, the directing at the beginning of the film is sharp - the well-written voiceover of a young Vivian and the complementary camera work showing her stretched out in the snow, arms and legs working to form a pattern on the earth like that of an angel. Director, Katja von Garnier, cuts effectively from the hunt scene into Bucharest as it is today and an older Vivian using her inherited powers to work out through the city and its surrounding parkland. There are some further scenes shot in the woods after dark, which also lend this film a Gothic aspect: the scenes where Alpha Male, Gabriel, commands his pack to hunt certain humans who have crossed this outcast race at some point. Here the changes from human into wolf are not ingenuous compared to a lot of special effects, but they seem to work well in this film - the pack simultaneously change while leaping into the night, like glittering moondust. And I like the fact that they become actual wolves as opposed to great lumbering beasts.

The idea behind the story is clearly that of 'shape-shifting' as opposed to the ideology of becoming a werewolf after being bitten; that these people were born with the disease and not infected with it. Is this 'supposed' to be a werewolf movie per se? It is certainly not billed as such. The metamorphosis that involves werewolves is involuntary, occuring when the moon is full; shape-shifters transform at will. Perhaps a mythic-romantic film at heart? For the juxtaposition of myth and romance works - in general - very well. It is also evident that some careful research has been done here, most notably into legend and folklore.

Flawed perhaps by too many romantically-cliched scenes, the film is crying out for more of the Gothic, like the opening which promised so much. Overall, though, not that disappointing.

Matthew J Lee-Williams, Review.

I will say that if you enjoyed underworld then you will certainly enjoy blood and chocolate. Just exchange the vampires for werewolves and add the sam amount of horror and suspense and there you go.

Firstly it was brand new and sealed when purchased.
I purchased this film because of the title originally... I love blood and love chocolate.

The film is a love story; simular to that of Romeo and Juliet - forbidden love.
This mixed in with the supernature or the sereal idea that warewolves could exist adds the sweetness to the entire story.
Forbidden love, family betrayal blood chase and sweat. Excellent combo.

the story line was good but i did not find the people changing into wolves very oftern in the film. ive watched it once and was not great to want to watch it again.

The book was NOT followed. The story line was changed and NOT really for the better. The transformations and special effects with scene settings were real good. Also, Werewolf movies are a bi+ch to write good. You really need a good story line, sub plots and STRONG characters to deliver. Other types of movies can be missing some of this but horrors, thrillers etc... NEED everything! If you read the book, prepare to be disappointed. If you didn't, well, the movie will interest you a bit and then die down a little till the end. Basically, a hot chick (werewolf) in a Werewolf clan wants to date a normal human. Clan leader wants hot chick as his new 7 year mate partner. Obviously we have conflicting problems here. Some Rambo action at the end saves the movie from a lower rating. Good is the best I can give. But then again I read the book first. The cast was good, but slightly week. If Jennifer Love Hewitt, Christina Ricci, Hillary Swank or Lacey Chabert played the lead role, it would have sold way more at the box office. All 4 would have JUMPED to play it too. If you dig WW flicks go for it at a price around $5.00 - $10.00

IM GLAD I DIDNT PAY TO MUCH FOR THIS AS I FOUND THE FILM TO BE VERY BORING AND WOULD NOT RECOMED TO ANYONE

Bought this as a gift for someone who is huge fan of Underworld. They tell me they love it. Has kind of a werewolf romeo and juliet/beauty and the beast thing going for it. Lots of scenes of the right stuff by all accounts a film to watch time and time again.