Introduction to Red Riding Hood
In 2011, Catherine Hardwicke, director of Twilight, released a fantasy drama, Red Riding Hood. Following the traditions of fairy tales, this film offers a darker, more mystical variation of the classic story. Red Riding Hood phrases the use of folklore crossing fantasy, mystery, and romance. Set in a medieval community, the film is dominated by fear and surrounded by deep dark forests, towering mountains, and snow.
Red Riding Hood focuses on the character Valerie, a young woman of Daggerhorn. The film depicts her as an innocent, free-spirited darling of the community, who wants to expand her horizon and imagination beyond the walls of her village. Growing up, a strong woodcutter-turned Peter, her childhood companion, shared a deep and strong bond, which turned into romantic love.
In contrast, the young woman is pushed to wed Henry, the blacksmith’s son. The caring and respectful Henry does nothing for Valerie and thus, she does not love him. This love triangle serves to emphasize on the central themes of a young woman’s marriage.
At the same time, the village has lived in anticipation of the legendary tale of the werewolf living in the forest nearby. Over the years, the villagers have kept the sacrifice of animals and other rituals during the full moon to appease the beast. This unholy and uneasy quiet of the village was broken when, for the first time in years, the creature of the forest made the sin of a daylight attack.
After the horror of the daylight beast attack, the villagers called upon Father Solomon, an infamous monster hunter. Solomon, whose character is played by Gary Oldman, comes to the village with a set of soldiers and a number of his folk tales involving the elimination of other monsters. He reminds the villagers to never forget that the creature could be hiding in the village and, even worse, could be a loved one in disguise and trust.
This terrifying piece of information, of monsters in the village, has the people in the village bringing in a witch hunt. With the werewolf seemingly having a bond with Val, it was obvious the werewolf was following and even spared her in an encounter. Soloman knew there was a bond of a creature and a human.
Valerie confronts the growing tensions with Peter and Henry while the village begins to unravel. Chaos descends, with accusations thrown, secrets revealed, and emotions long suppressed bubbling to the surface. As Valerie tries to uncover the truth behind the werewolf, she is plagued with uncertainty and the begging melodrama of trust. Conflict is nearly unavoidable, with the danger of the werewolf, the expectations of her family, and her own feelings.
The narrative builds tension and intrigue with unpredictable developments, resulting in an ultimate showdown, where the werewolf is revealed, forcing Valerie to make a decision of great consequence. Red Riding Hood, in its essence, is a story of growing up, learning to trust oneself, and the bravery to face what lies ahead, rather than a tale of mythical creatures.
Cast & Crew
Amanda Seyfried as Valerie
Seyfried portrays the character with a combination of determination and innocence. She captures the inner tension of a young woman pushed in different directions by conflicting duty and desire, and by fright and bravery. Her performance is emotionally powerful and establishes a connection between Valerie and the audience as she seeks truth and freedom.
Shiloh Fernandez as Peter
Peter was the first love for Valerie, one of the first signs of freedom, and a glimpse of her uncontainable passion. Shiloh Fernandez adds to the role by portraying a young man willing to fight passionately for the love of his life. Peter’s enigmatic character consistently raises the question of whether he too, like most of the characters in the movie, has secrets he is hiding.
Max Irons as Henry
In contrast to Peter, Henry is noble, calm, and patient. First he was a loveable suffering character, and then the rest of the movie was spent emotionally letting Shiloh’s character revive the passion and fight for life. Max Irons was sincere with his conviction, and to the role of the loveable suffering character, which adds to the complex nature of the relations in the movie. The character adds to the suffering nature of a love triangle in a real sense.
Gary Oldman as Father Solomon
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In her storytelling approach, Hardwicke prioritizes the visual aspect. Drawing from her experience with Twilight, she creates something with shadows and light, beauty and mystery. The abundance of gothic and atmospheric tones complements the film’s emotional and thematic story intricacies.
Writer: David Leslie Johnson
In transforming the classic fairy tale into a suspense-filled, coming-of-age tale, Johnson preserves its essence while adding new elements. This makes the story unpredictable and exciting for the audience to the end.
IMDb Ratings and Reception
Red Riding Hood has a 5.4/10 rating on IMDb. Reception was mixed, with some viewers applauding the visuals and romance, and others criticizing the slow pace and predictability. Still, fans appreciated the film’s mystery and emotional complexity and its deviation from the classic tale.
Describing the film’s atmosphere, one critic pointed out that while audience numbers did not reflect blockbuster status, the use of rich and fairy tale elements, including red cloaks, snowy and dark woods, and symbolic imagery, was effective. The film also addressed the challenge of choice and personal growth.
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