2 OF 5 RELEASES FROM OCTOBER 19, 2001/ ***

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Cinema Releases - October 19, 2001

Brotherhood of the Wolf

***

Rated on a 4-star scale. Certificate 15. 142 minutes. Directed by Christophe Gans. Written by Stephane Cabel, Christophe Gans. Starring Samuel Le Bihan, Vincent Cassel, Mark Dacascos, Emilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci.

Jeepers Creepers

***

Rated on a 4-star scale. Certificate 15. 90 minutes. Written and directed by Victor Salva. Starring Justin Long, Gina Phillips, Jonathan Breck, Patricia Belcher, Eileen Brennan.

I would not dare be spoilsport enough to reveal the specifics of "Jeepers Creepers", a very good horror movie directed by Victor Salva and produced in part by Francis Ford Copolla.

I will tell you that the movie begins in a car, as a brother and sister, Darius (Justin Long) and Patricia (Gina Phillips), take the scenic route home from college. They banter, they shoot the breeze, they discuss whether they have enough petrol, and then a big rusty truck with the licence plate "BEATNGU" tries to run them off the road, and this is the taking-off point for the rest of the movie.

I will tell you that the first half hour is one of the tensest, most cleverly restrained, most mysterious beginnings to any horror movie of recent years. "Jeepers Creepers" eventually turns into something of a conventional monster picture, and nothing is quite the same after halfway through the picture, when Salva throws away a great deal of power by showing us the villain up close. But oh boy, that first half hour.

Boy, oh boy, oh boy.

If the potential of the opening is not realised, well, at least it's there in and of itself, and it deserves credit for involving us in the rest of the picture. We forgive and enjoy the lesser developments, because we've given ourselves over to the flow.

There are other impressive features: The main characters are both likeable and smart, which prevents things from becoming goofy. There is a refreshing absence of irony. And the movie is full of grand gestures and gambles, giving the inane blandness of other teen horror flicks a slap in the face.

That's all I'm gonna tell you. Now go see it for yourself.

This week's other monster movie is "Brotherhood of the Wolf", a two-and-a-half-hour French film about a bunch of aristocrats in 1765 who go to fight a legendary beast that has been killing peasant women and children. The first half of the picture concentrates on building its characters and drawing us into its dark, brooding atmosphere; then the movie turns into a festival of mysticism, confrontation and all-out action.

"Brotherhood of the Wolf" was a big, expensive production, one that has been quite high-profile in the French entertainment press. In both its sections, we can see the money onscreen -- it's not just been used for effects and stunts, but also for wonderful production design, with beautiful photography and rich re-creation of 18th Century France.

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