fuzzbringer

If you've read the book - you're going to appreciate the careful adaptation of the atmosphere, and perhaps the some of the slight changes in the story telling that better fit the cinematic story telling. If you haven't read the book, you'd probably like to concentrate on this, and approach it as you approach a book - you can never judge a piece of literature either by the covers.

The movie adaptation is categorized as a thriller and it kind of fits the bill, but - the adaptation doesn't serve you a Hollywood thriller with a industry standard blueprint plot and characters. And that's a good thing too, since the book doesn't either, it would've been a shame to ruin the narrative and atmosphere by having it "hollywoodized" for easy pastime. This one isn't one of those movies. If you suspect it turns into a thriller with supernatural horror tropes - no, it's not. And if you think it's going to be an action packed revenge story - it's not that either. Sure, there's bloody action and revenge tropes, sure there's hints at wolf myths from ancient cultures. The movie adaptation actually drops these few nods to genre fiction and uses some trope scenes and motifs - as the book narrative does - and that's perhaps misleading some unsuspecting genre movie consumers leading to frustrated expectations and inevitable bewilderment. As said, you'd probably want to "read" this movie, as a unique story outside genres.

From the very beginning of the movie you're introduced to a father formulaic plot. Which isn't necessarily always bad for an action film, if it delivers any original twists and interesting characters on the ride. Because even an action file might stand up from the simply mindless formulaic entertainment and explosions. And I'm always ready to applaud a movie for good music alone. Things that even low budget movies can pull off you know. This time the movie budget was apparently spent on something complete else: when the gear shift changes to action we've simply got more and more of uninteresting explosions, car crashes, ridiculous escape jumps, and mind numbing shooting and boring hand to hand fights that make decades old Bond movies look cultural heritage status worthy.

Perhaps, with only a 25% of the budget, the director could've been been forced to concentrate on something more original and interesting.

A mystery play set in the Naples with unmistakably European flavor, if you've watched Italian giallo it's hard not to see gentle nods to that direction. The plot mystery and hints at side plots however don't get exhausted can feel frustrating for more straight forward Hollywood oriented storytelling perhaps. Some audience might not get that. In here every shown picture and each piece of mystery isn't used and explained and they're not really ment to satisfy curiosity - but rather add to it. Veil it, instead of unveiling, if you please.