Fans of the horror genre will be satisfied, not wowed, with "The Wolfman," which opens Friday, Feb. 12.

Fans of the 1941 original classic starring Lon Chaney Jr. had better be prepared for a Wolfman like they've never seen before.

This version is violent and bloody to an extreme. Director Joe Johnston shows us the creepy Benicio Del Toro as Lawrence Talbot undergoing his gruesome transformation into a werewolf, but it's all done with CGI, as expected. Moviegoers shouldn't be surprised or critical. If you love monster flicks, you'll love the special effects.

Still, I went into the screening with the hope it would rekindle the feeling I had when I first saw Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece "Dracula" in 1992. It didn't. Trailers for "The Wolfman" really got my juices flowing, but the finished product wasn't the hit I was expecting.

In many respects, Johnston stays true to the roots of the original, but a major unexpected plot twist will surely raise some eyebrows. Also, the 90-minute running time doesn't allow much character development and the film seems a bit rushed.

With Anthony Hopkins also on board, at times if feels like he and Del Toro are in competition for the creepiest character of the year award.

All that being said, if you're a horror fan and love the classics, you'll be entertained with "The Wolfman."

- Mark Podolski