RED RIDING HOOD (Catherine Hardwicke)

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RED RIDING HOOD works well as a popcorn flick when you let yourself get whisked away with Catherine Hardwicke's storytelling focus on the small village with which the film takes place. Sure, RED RIDING HOOD is ridden with cliches and traces of Twilight, but it is a cliched film that is better than most cliched films, and certainly better than Twilight.

Here goes your R-18 version of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Film critic Roger Ebert noted that he did not recall any "riding" involved with the kids' tale. I'm perfectly okay with a loose adaptation as long as it will not feel like an insult.

Hardwicke's setting is dreamy. It's isolated, it's snowy, and full of trees- perfect for a semi-horror setup. Amanda Seyfried may very well be just a towering sex symbol,  and we do not necessarily have to admire her acting here (CHLOE remains as her only notable film outing). The presence of visual testosterone Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons only confirms what I just said. The film is one big glossy sexually-charged fable, but it entertains. 

In all fairness, I had been guessing up until the end who the wolf was. So I guess, there was some extent of subtlety exercised in storytelling. Other filmmakers cannot restrain themselves from giving away too much too early. 

Don't take the film too seriously. Watch it. Then get it over with. It's better that way. 

RATING: 3/5

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