Sure, it's more sinister and gory (ridiculously so at times), but Del Toro's acting is a standout.

When the beast finally bursts forth, the character becomes, for the most part, a digitally augmented blur - there's no room for a performance underneath all the 0s and 1s.

Flounders in its stabs at epic action-horror grandeur.

As for the epic battle pitting werewolf versus werewolf -- let’s just say it couldn’t be any less frightening had the filmmakers elected to pit Pekingese against Poodle.