JACOB BLACK WOLF GROWS A PAIR…OF FANGS
One obvious and really exciting evolution we noticed from the first New Moon trailer here to the latest here are the distinct changes made to Jacob’s wolf form.
Truth be told, the first New Moon trailer featuring the Jacob-to-Wolf snap transformation already had me looking for my sleeping bag and staking out a spot in line. Jake’s 30 foot leap culminating with a snarling hulk of a wolf was the hands-down highlight of the 90 second tidbit. The fine CGI work seemed to me a clear indication of Summit’s commitment to the saga and coupled with New Moon Movie‘s casting coups, it really looked like they were pulling out all the stops to make us forgive and forget the less than stellar effects of Twilight.
The first trailer’s wolf was most certainly a badass. It had excellent CGI work and it appeared to me that they took some visual cues from the Eastern Timber Wolf, with reddish highlights over a full mane, and a shaggy winter coat topping bare fore and rear limbs. There was still a cartoonish feel to it, but I had chalked it off to unfinished rendering, it was after all a really early preview of the movie.
Take a look for yourself:
The new trailer brought with it a whole new Jacob wolf, and I must say, it certainly is badder, er, badderasser! Gone are the Timber Wolf red highlights (or as my sister likes to call it, Clairol Sedona Sunset) and in its place are the deadly drab browns that a wolf hunting rogue vamps in Fork’s forests would be more at ease in. We now see features taken from the Grey Wolf: The shorter, one-length fur, slightly larger nose topping a narrower snout, and the aggressive stalking posture of a wolf with dinner in sight.
Note the major differences besides the fur color change:
The eyes are more slanted, reminiscent of the wolf in ’300′, and gives off a menacing stare.
The upper set of fangs are more pronounced and appear aged, giving an impression of past battles and well, a darn scary bite.
The fighting snarl created by the narrower snout also makes the wolf more intimidating.
All in all, I see welcome changes in the right direction. I’m pleased to see the Summit guys constantly tweaking this movie to make it better and not resting on their Twilight laurels. True, it has a lot more to live up to, but I can’t help but notice that Summit’s been much more active in listening to fan feedback and applying it to the movie in realtime. New Moon promises to be the true Fan’s Film that we are all hoping for it to be.
If Jacob’s wolf is any indication of how hard the New Moon movie is going to rock our faces, then we can expect to be sitting in the theatres come midnight on the 19th, jaws on the floor, popcorn uneaten, minds blown.
Little Red Riding Hood better watch out, this isn’t your gramma’s forest anymore.
Wolfsbane signing out.
TA’ERS: What are your thoughts on the enhanced with better CGI wolf?
