I suppose writer-director Jo Sung-Hee had a checklist of the perfect guy that every woman would likely swoon for, with that bit of submissiveness, unwavering loyalty, sense of passion, and a tinge of the mysterious topped with the bad boy attitude when the time calls to be able to protect a loved one. Being good looking is a bonus as well. And with all these traits coming in the form of a leading character, it's without a doubt why this film is powering its way up the Korean box office charts.
It's a fantasy romance much like The Incredible Hulk and Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan combined, except that the male protagonist here (played by Song Joong-Ki) isn't brought up by apes, but by wolves, and being tamed and trained by the young girl Suni (Park Bo-Young), with whom she begins to open up to, developing a firm friendship that soon developed into a romantic relationship despite their overt differences, and especially with the boy's silence.
But things aren't that rosy in this film, with false accusations, a jealous landlord, the military and a couple of scientists all wanting a piece of the wolf-boy, who harbours an even darker secret as to the strengths he develops, having inside of him a beast that can only be tamed by his lady love. How their love will survive these trials and tribulations become the emotional cruz of this romantic melodrama, which I have to admit is one of the best in recent years that I've seen, without going too over the top in treatment, but packing quite the punch in its final moments that challenges you not to tear as events come full circle.
With a good looking cast showcasing some fine acting chops, and CG that isn't too shabby, A Werewolf Boy is set to polarize opinions as to what the story stood for in terms of an ideal relationship expected from the opposite sex, and whether or not these are something that's sustainable or even plausible in real life. For the romantic die-hards, it is something that their hearts will secretly yearn for, and this is precisely the targeted group the movie is catered towards. But even if you don't subscribe to the saccharine sweet notion of perfect love, A Werewolf Boy still contains the necessary ingredients to move, unless you have a heart of stone. A definite recommendation!
You can read my review of A Werewolf Boy at movieXclusive.com by clicking on the logo below.
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