The Wolfman (2010, USA)

When you’ve successfully transformed Benicio Del Toro into a gaping, charisma-sucking hole in the middle of your film, you’ve pretty much failed in your job as director. It pains me to say this, but the Hollywood actor who seems the most natural choice to portray a raging beast-man is an abject flop – instead of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or Sin City-style Benicio, we get 21 Grams-esque muttering and moping. For a movie with enough problems to begin with (countless reshoots, the leads’ complete lack of chemistry, Anthony Hopkins roaming around in a tiger robe), asking Del Toro to put it on mute is the final nail in the coffin. What could have been a fun throwback romp, a la The Mummy, turns into a dull slog through countless underlit sets – someone should tell director Joe Johnston that a background as an art director doesn’t mean you don’t need to light your actors’ faces – with not nearly enough Hugo Weaving.