In the Flesh: Brotherhood of the Wolf (Patreon)

What the fuck is this movie? How did it get funded? Why is Vincent Cassell here? Is it even a movie, or did a Mortal Kombat game’s character select screen gain sentience and escape onto film? A zombie-armed French aristocrat with a sword-whip made of sharpened bone, a goth Papal assassin played by Monica Bellucci, a royal taxidermist slash stick-fighting champion and his Native American pal — it’s like someone just threw a bunch of nouns in a hat and then fished out three traits per character. The result, sprinkled over the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan and its rampage in and around the commune of the same name, is...mixed.

On the one hand you’ve got the gonzo armored lion beast, Cassel’s delightful murder-fop incestuous fancy boy aristocrat performance, and a pretty affecting lead duo. On the other, a dishwater love interest, some heinously fake-looking props, and a few incredibly cheesy shots during its hit or miss action scenes. It’s an extravagant cake, bedecked with all manner of frosted gewgaws and curlicues, but it isn’t quite cooked through and the occasional mouthfuls of raw batter take away from an otherwise fun and eclectic experience. The lead’s Apocalypse Now! rampage in particular feels like a half-realized mess of ideas.

But the costumes? Not a single false note. Cassel’s gorgeous velvet frock coats, Bellucci’s incredible lacy confections, the surprisingly influential tricorner hats and bandanas — the whole thing is astoundingly distinctive, a once-in-a-decade fantasy aesthetic success. You can still see it reflected in everything from Bloodborne to Magic the Gathering. And for every weak, shaky shot there’s a gorgeous distance shot of mounted figures lonely against the windswept French countryside in winter, or a beautifully dressed interior set with as much lush period fidelity as any costume drama. Brotherhood of the Wolf is stupid, sure, and kind of a mess, but it’s a delicious one.