Red Riding Hood

Red Riding Hood

Movie

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke

Warner Home Video, 2011

ISBN 9780780677029

4 (out of 5) STARS

Plot Summary

Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. As panic grips the town, Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast--one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect...and bait.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1486185/plotsummary

Critical Evaluation

From a purely entertainment stand point I enjoyed this movie. I really enjoy fairy tales and like to see different takes on them. Unlike Beastly, I thought this movie had something new to add. The director was also the director of the huge Twilight movie and the similarities were apparent.

Reader’s Annotation

Another retelling of Red Riding Hood.

Information about the director

Born in the border town of McAllen, TX on Oct. 21, 1955, Hardwicke studied art in Mexico and received her degree in architecture from the University of Texas at Austin. Among her post-graduation projects was a 20-acre solar townhouse complex built around a manmade lake, complete with waterfalls and swimming pools. Despite her success in her chosen field, she saw her true calling in film, so she relocated to Los Angeles to study at UCLA.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800196628/bio

Genre

fantasy

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

N/A

Reading Level

PG-13

Challenge Issues

violence, sex, swearing, drinking.

It is best to be prepared for a book challenge before it is challenged. It is important to read the book all the way through and to have read both positive and negative reviews of the book from professionals and teens as well. Be aware of the library’s collection policy. Also check for any awards the book may have won. It would be beneficial to see how other library’s may have handled challenges for this particular book in the past.

*The above information also applies to movies.

Why Included?

It is a new movie just released this year that looked like it appealed to teenagers.