GRADE: AB

Between the years 1764 and 1767 under the reign of Louis XV in France, a mysterious wolf-like beast maimed and killed 100 women and children. Still one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time, there is no clear explanation for these strange happenings. The beast of Gevaudan, locally called La Bete, is referred to by the French as the “greatest enigma of history.”

This grizzly horror unfolded at a very volatile period in France’s government. The economy was weak, the church was divided and there were rumors of a revolt brewing.

Louis saw La Bete as a threat to his authority and to the faith of the people in his leadership. He commissioned several master wolf hunters to lead massive hunting parties in the Auvergne and South Dordogne areas. These parties killed several wolves and claimed that they had destroyed La Bete–but the killing always resumed.

It was almost always churchmen that tended to the wounded and dead. Conspiracy theorists have tried many times to purport that the church was somehow involved in the creation/cover up of the beast. Other groups claim that the animal was an alien or a product of alien research.

In any event, there are hundreds of witness accounts on record as well as sketches and plaster casts of three clawed footprints. There was and still is a great fascination with La Bete in France due to the many unexplainable circumstances surrounding her actions.

For one, she never attacked men, only women and children; meaning, according to some accounts, that the beast could tell the difference. Some of the king’s hunters dressed their male soldiers up as women to serve as bait. The beast approached but would not attack.

Secondly, La Bete often attacked on pagan holidays, many of which were still celebrated by the townspeople. Lastly, there were never any human footprints found around the bodies. The beast’s footprints themselves were clawed animal prints, and casts indicated that she could make level leaps of 28 feet over the ground. Once, a newly dead body was found in the snow with no footprints whatsoever surrounding it.

Within France, the Beast of Gevaudan is a major part of their historical culture. They even claim that the wolf hunting the little girl in Grimm’s “Little Red Riding Hood” is based on La Bete. However, outside of France, the legend of the beast is virtually unknown: at least until now.

“Le Pacte Des Loups” is the attempt by the French to portray the gory tale in a feature film. This attempt was evidently successful, as the movie was a smash hit in France last year. Recently released here with an English title and aggressive ad campaign, “The Brotherhood of the Wolf” just hit American box offices with the hope of becoming a smash hit here as well.

Moviegoers should not be deterred by the daunting classification of “subtitled.” The most exciting moments in the film involve absolutely no dialogue at all. Director Christophe Gans is not afraid to push every envelope that exists. What results is a delightfully irreverent, sometimes very scary movie with kick-ass fight sequences. All of the traditional taboos are clearly kicked aside as sex, violence, rape and incest all find their way into the plot.

It is clear from the rain-soaked, bloody get-go that this movie is out to entertain. Gans occasionally tries to draw a parallel between racial and religious tensions and the terror of La Bete, but the commentary is lost on an audience eagerly awaiting the next action sequence.

This sci-fi/ horror/ kung-fu film not only breaks rules but genre classification as well. Our protagonists are a rugged former soldier, Gregiore de Fronsac (Samuel le Bihan) and the Native American Mani (Mark Dacascos). Together they arrive from Paris to hunt and destroy La Bete. Along the way, they uncover political secrets and aristocratic scandal.

The female protagonists are as strong as the men and they fight with knives and poisons. However, “Brotherhood” runs a little too long, and the ultra-cheesy ending is a little hard to stomach.

Yet the gothic mood of this horrific true story is captured elegantly by Gans. Rainy landscapes, dark woods, screaming and howling all combine to provide the lush nightmare setting.
Whatever the truth is behind “The Beast of Gevaudan,” she lives on in this richly frightening retelling.