Wolf Man Review

Wolf Man Review

Cast: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Sam Jaeger, Matilda Firth, Benedict Hardie, Ben Prendergast, Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, Milo Cawthorne

Genre: Horror

Director: Leigh Whannell

In Irish Cinemas: 17th January 2025

 

If you believe studio franchises and crossover sequels are a phenomenon unique to the 21st century, think again. Universal’s Monster movies pioneered this concept as far back as the 1930s and 1940s. During their golden age, Universal Pictures released nearly two dozen films featuring an interconnected web of iconic characters, including Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man. They even ventured into comedy with classics like Abbott and Costello’s Meet the Mummy.

Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, co-written with his wife Corbett Tuck, pays homage to this rich cinematic legacy while forging its distinctive path. The film celebrates the essence of George Waggner’s The Wolf Man (1941), starring the legendary Lon Chaney Jr. while drawing inspiration from almost a century of werewolf mythology. Influences range from the groundbreaking horror of An American Werewolf in London and The Howling (both released in 1981) to Universal’s recent attempts to reboot their classic monsters, albeit with mixed success.

Whannell and Tuck’s interpretation sets itself apart by favouring psychological depth and suspense over the visceral thrills of pure body horror. Much like Larry Talbot in the original story, their protagonist, Blake (played by Christopher Abbott), is drawn back to his childhood home after the death of his estranged father. Tasked with managing the estate, Blake confronts the scars of his traumatic upbringing under a survivalist father while grappling with a failing marriage to Charlotte (Julia Garner). As he struggles with his inner demons, Blake channels his protective instincts into his relationship with his young daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth), creating an emotionally resonant core that complements the film’s atmospheric tension.

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Shortly after arriving in an unfamiliar area, the family’s life is upended by tragedy. A car accident leaves them stranded and vulnerable, and in the chaos, Blake is savagely attacked by a mysterious, unseen creature lurking in the shadows. They barely escape, seeking refuge in a nearby house, but their relief is short-lived. The beast is relentless, pursuing them without hesitation. As the night stretches on, an even more horrifying truth comes to light: Blake hasn’t just been injured—he’s been infected. His body and mind begin to change, and the terror escalates as the family realises their ordeal is far from over.

The film WOLF MAN is steeped in familiar tropes, offering few surprises in its narrative trajectory. From Blake’s struggles with unresolved paternal issues to the inevitability of his complete transformation, the story clings tightly to the well-worn traditions of werewolf folklore. Scenes of Blake’s child anxiously asking, “What’s happening to Daddy?” as his features grow increasingly animalistic toe the line between horror and unintended absurdity. There’s a limit to how often such moments can strike a chord before they lose their impact.

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Yet, what sets WOLF MAN apart is the sincerity of its execution. Director Leigh Whannell and writer Marcus Tuck bring an emotional depth to the material that transcends the clichés. Whannell, in interviews, has openly discussed how degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer inspired the film’s portrayal of Blake’s tragic transformation. The narrative focuses on the physical horror of becoming a monster and the emotional toll it takes on the family.

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As Blake succumbs to his condition, his mental and physical disintegration is harrowing. He loses the ability to speak, struggles to recognise his loved ones, and lashes out uncontrollably, driven by primal instincts he cannot suppress. The film masterfully portrays the family’s anguish as they grapple with their inability to save him. For Blake, the world itself becomes a nightmare. His perception warps, blurring the lines between reality and madness, and the audience is drawn into his fragmented perspective, making his descent all the more visceral and haunting.

While WOLFMAN doesn’t reinvent the genre, its emotional resonance and exploration of human fragility give the familiar story a poignant, grounded edge.

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The film stumbles when it comes to its supporting characters, particularly Charlotte. Her emotional distance from Blake is hinted at but never explored in depth, leaving her character feeling underdeveloped. She makes vague remarks about struggling to navigate motherhood, but her journey feels like a tired cliché: the overworked, city-dwelling career woman reconnecting with her roots in rural Oregon. It’s a story that feels more suited to a Hallmark drama—albeit one with a gruesome body horror twist. This is a significant missed opportunity for an actress of Julia Garner’s talent, reducing her to little more than a passive observer in the face of Blake’s terrifying transformation.

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On a technical level, however, WOLFMAN excels. Leigh Whannell and cinematographer Stefan Duscio craft a visually stunning experience, with the eerie beauty of Oregon’s wilderness providing a hauntingly atmospheric backdrop. The standout sequences, particularly those depicting “wolf vision,” elevate the film’s aesthetic. These scenes combine heightened sound design—layered with unnerving ASMR-like effects—with surreal, dreamlike imagery that feels ripped from a gothic music video, reminiscent of something like Total Eclipse of the Heart cranked to its most unhinged intensity. Still, the film’s slow-burn pacing may leave some viewers wanting more immediate scares or the visceral, groundbreaking effects seen in Rick Baker’s classic werewolf designs.

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Ultimately, WOLF MAN struggles to find its audience. It’s a bold, measured reimagining of a familiar tale, but it doesn’t innovate enough to transcend the well-trodden territory of werewolf lore fully. Horror fans might find the restrained pacing unsatisfying, while the film’s supernatural elements could put off drama aficionados. A moody, intimate portrait of a family on the edge of collapse lingers, held together by a compelling central performance and an unwavering commitment to the atmosphere. For some viewers, that may be just enough; for others, it may feel like a missed howl at greatness.

Overall: 6/10

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