With his marriage fraying, Blake persuades his wife Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit his remote childhood home in rural Oregon. As they arrive at the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. But as the night stretches on, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable.
REVIEW
It’s funny - I had reviewed the original 1941 THE WOLF MAN earlier this month in preparation for, what I had believed, was a modern remake or retelling of the same story. I had even debated whether to watch and/or review the 2010 remake, but I felt that I would dislike the 2025 adaptation more if I had. I wanted to go into 2025’s WOLF MAN with a fresh set of eyes and judge it for its own merits without comparisons to whatever came before it.
But lo and behold! 2025’s WOLF MAN isn’t an actual remake at all! It has no Larry Talbot. There are no Romani fortune tellers. I don’t think I even caught a full moon. It has family, love, and a man changing into… something. But it’s not the Universal WOLF MAN you’re used to.
And that’s one of my main issues with this version of the story - I feel the title is a bit misleading. Yes, there’s some legend about men turning into wolves and technically there are wolf-looking men in this movie. But WOLF MAN is less of a werewolf film and more of a body horror movie that’s akin to David Cronenberg, mainly 1986’s THE FLY. It’s a horror film where someone gets infected and begins to transform for the entire film, until that person decides to attack the people closest to them. Yes, main character Blake gets scratched and becomes more of a wolf creature. But he’s not technically what one would expect a werewolf to look like either. I respect the change but the title is advertising something audiences are probably not expecting [or even wanting out of a film like this].
The film also struggles with getting its message across in a meaningful way. 2020’s THE INVISIBLE MAN turned the original story on its head to craft a fantastic horror movie about abuse and PTSD. It just happened to star a man who could turn invisible and traumatize the main character with that ability, making characters in the film wonder if she’s going crazy or her outbursts about her ex-boyfriend being invisible are true.
WOLF MAN seems to be about not wanting to repeat the same mistakes our parents did so it won’t pass on to future generations. The prologue doesn’t shy away from this, as young Blake is raised by a strict military father who barks orders rather than show love and affection for him. He’s also hiding his own secrets, which makes Blake turn on him as he grows up. In order to do that, Blake is a bit more loving with his daughter Ginger [nice GINGER SNAPS homage], who dotes on her father and seems closer to him than to her workaholic mother Charlotte. However, Blake continues to feel guilty anytime Ginger acts out or doesn’t listen to him, turning him into his father. It seems while avoiding the past, Blake can’t seem to shake it off for his present and future.
While this commentary is great, it’s not handled in a deep way. The father-daughter aspect is done well, but the rest of the relationships could have used more time. There’s issues between Blake and Charlotte that aren’t really elaborated on besides that she works so much that she feels she’s not a good mother to Ginger, while Blake is a stay-at-home dad who probably isn’t being the best husband and father financially. But we barely spend time with this couple before shit hits the fan, so it’s hard to tell whether the marriage has been rocky for a long time now or this is just a recent event. Plus considering that Charlotte and Ginger don’t have the strongest relationship, the film’s focus would be more on that. While the two do grow closer due to the events in the film, I never got a sense their relationship will improve, although I suspect it would. Plus the “Sins of the Father” deal gets hammered into your head maybe too many times that it soon becomes too much on the nose when the “twist” occurs.
I also felt WOLF MAN was pretty tame in terms of scares and action. The film relies on jump scares for the most part, using the sound design to jolt audiences. But no one in my showing really fell for any of them, which is telling in how much they worked. And while some of the gore is pretty gnarly at times, Whannell seems to shy away from it quite a bit. Some people get murdered or eaten and we just see the aftermath, which is a shame. Plus, there are action moments - including one between two wolf people - that should be the film’s highlight. But instead, they’re cut pretty short and just feel like an afterthought. Maybe it’s because of the budget or Whannell was going for something with broader appeal, but it takes away the energy and intensity from WOLF MAN.
Fortunately, the film does have things going for it. The actors all do well with what they’re given. I feel Julia Garner kind of got the short straw here, as she’s reduced to playing frightened mother and wife for the most part. But she handles it well and convinces you that she’s confused and terrified by what’s going on. Matilda Firth could have played Ginger as a kind of annoyingly precocious child, but she gives the character a level of intelligence that makes her fit with the adult actors. She handles fear well, but also has a charm about her that makes you care for her relationship with her parents. She’s good in the role. The real star here is Christopher Abbott as Blake, who is game for anything asked of him. He plays a great dad. He plays a husband fighting for his marriage. He plays a man struggling with his two lives. And as he transforms into the Wolf Man, he becomes scarier and more intense as he goes from man to beast within a short time. Walking on all fours is kind of goofy, but Abbott goes for it and I respect it. Plus, I liked him in the makeup [even if I have mixed feelings on the look] and thought he conveyed his metamorphosis well. Solid actors who needed a better script to play around with.
I also liked some of Whannell’s directorial choices. The use of the wolf powers was actually a cool idea. It had a superhero origin vibe, where the subject is realizing he or she is becoming something else by realizing they have abilities no human should have. The loud sounds and the gurgling of sound when people talk to Blake was a nice touch. I also loved the wolf sight that would come in and out, reminding me of Detective Mode in those Batman Arkham games. I feel Whannell was more focused on the style of the film rather than the substance here. I mean, that’s fine for some horror directors but we’ve seen Whannell stand out because of the substance in his works. So while I liked the film visually [it’s a nice looking movie], he’s capable of better.
THE FINAL HOWL
If you’re going into WOLF MAN looking for a traditional werewolf movie, you’re going to be seriously disappointed. If you’re looking for something different, you’ll still probably be disappointed but maybe you’ll get something out of it. The issue with this film is that it plays things way too safe. It has a strong commentary about the sins of the father and how their actions affect their children, but it never really goes deeper than that, preferring to predictably play things out on the surface without any subtlety. Same with the relationship between the characters, as their dynamic has no depth other than they have issues that need to be worked on. Also, the film isn’t scary at all and when cool action happens, it’s cut away to something else.
But at least the performances are pretty good, especially by lead Christopher Abbott, who gives his all as both human and wolf-man. And the film has a good visual style going for it, especially when the wolf powers [or “Detective Mode”] come into play. The body horror aspect had some gnarly moments that picked up the film’s intensity at times. It’s also paced very well, as this film blew right by despite my issues with it. And I respect a new way of looking into the Wolf Man character, even if it doesn’t fully work for me.
Considering what Leigh Whannell has done in the past, his version of WOLF MAN is pretty weak and disappointing. Considering how much I loved THE INVISIBLE MAN, I felt that this was a severe drop in quality. Maybe some of you will get a kick out of this adaptation, but I don’t think it’s really anything to moon over. It’s fine at best.
Starring:Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert, Kate Capshaw, David Patrick Kelly, George Wendt
Genre:Drama/Science Fiction/Thriller/Horror
Running Time:99 Minutes
Plot:
In order to diagnose the psychic traumas suffered by his patients, Dr. Paul Novotny gets young Alex Gardner to enter their dreams.
Review:
It’s a shame that 1984’s DREAMSCAPE isn’t as cool as the misleading poster that’s advertising the film. Instead of an INDIANA JONES romp with some horror elements implemented, DREAMSCAPE is pretty much a sci-fi drama that becomes a bit more political as the film moves forward. The film takes elements of movies before it, like SCANNERS and THE DEAD ZONE, while at the same time being a movie that probably inspired others that improved on its premise like INCEPTION or PAPRIKA. Hell, this isn’t even the best 1984 film involving nightmares or an evil person with claws!
Yes, the nightmares look pretty bad 40 years later due to the obvious green screen effects. Yes, the film has a lot of plot threads going on that don’t feel like they should connect or even feel important by the end of the film. And yes, the characters are pretty much archetypes without much depth. Most of them are even unlikable in several ways, including our main protagonist played by Dennis Quaid.
But you have to admire DREAMSCAPE’s ambition for trying to balance all of this out, even if it doesn’t fully reach its potential. Despite the not-so-great visual effects, the nightmare scenarios are still pretty cool to see realized. That Snakeman monster is just awesome looking and he should have had more of a presence throughout the movie. And the plot is intriguing enough to make you want to see how it’ll all end.
Plus, you can’t go wrong with that cast. Dennis Quaid is great as a smug jerk who later becomes heroic. Kate Capshaw, who gets more to do in THE TEMPLE OF DOOM the same year, isn’t bad as Quaid’s love interest. Having Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer, two masterclass actors, play against each other is wonderful. David Patrick Kelly brings some of that WARRIORS villainy in what should’ve been a bigger role. And George Wendt is here too!
DREAMSCAPE is a decent timewaster that’s worth a look if you want to see a film about nightmares in 1984 that wasn’t directed by Wes Craven. This one could probably use the remake treatment, although I feel like INCEPTION was pretty much the peak of these dream scenario movies.
Lon Chaney Jr. - Lawrence “Larry” Talbot/ The Wolf Man
Claude Rains - Sir John Talbot
Warren William - Dr. Lloyd
Evelyn Ankers - Gwen Conliffe
Ralph Bellamy - Captain Paul Montford
Patric Knowles - Frank Andrews
Bela Lugosi - Bela
Maria Ouspenskaya - Maleva
Genre -Horror/Supernatural/Werewolves
Running Time -70 Minutes
PLOT
After his brother’s death, Larry Talbot returns home to his father and the family estate. Events soon take a turn for the worse when Larry is bitten by a werewolf.
REVIEW
Considering the first big horror film of 2025 is Leigh Whannell’s adaptation of THE WOLF MAN, I figured it was the perfect time to go back to when the werewolf film became mainstream. While Universal Studios’ WEREWOLF OF LONDON from 1935 was officially the first feature-length werewolf flick, that film bombed at the box office at the time although it has now gained a cult following and even a hit song inspired by it. It took six years for werewolves to be cool and engaging for moviegoers, with 1941’s THE WOLF MAN becoming a huge hit and inspiring multiple sequels, spin-offs and even remakes along the way.
While the 1941 WOLF MAN is definitely a product of its time, the film still holds up for the most part and continues to inspire werewolf lore to this day. Probably the most iconic aspect of this classic horror film is the make-up of the title character. While very primitive compared to what would come along much later in films like 1981’s AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and THE HOWLING, the prototype for those later looks begin here. Yes, the Wolf Man looks less like a real wolf, and more like a regular man who hasn’t shaved for years and probably in good need of a dentist. But for the time, this was pretty impressive make-up work and probably horrified audiences.
THE WOLF MAN also has some thick atmosphere and cool locations going for it. Director George Wagnner does a nice job visualizing the story, using the setting quite well, especially at the end where the Wolf Man is hunting within the forest as he chases his love interest while others [including his father] chase him down. Even during the daytime scenes, there always seems to be a sense of dread and bleakness that the characters can’t overcome. Wagnner showcases through the use of fog and mist at night, while main character Larry Talbot encounters strange characters who deal in the mystical arts. There’s a level of spook all around THE WOLF MAN.
And while it may look goofy to many today, the transformation scene is still quite impressive considering this was done in 1941. It’s just a simple series of dissolves with actor Lon Chaney Jr. being shown with more werewolf makeup on in each frame. But again, 1941 audiences probably ate this up and were terrified by this metamorphosis. I honestly prefer this to much of the CGI transformations we get today, as I would rather have a werewolf look like this than look like a cartoon character. But that’s just me, I guess.
Also quite simple is the story written by Curt Siodmak. The narrative is easy to understand on paper, as it’s pretty much a man’s struggle to deal with his animal instincts when he’s bitten by a werewolf. Larry Talbot is already treated as somewhat of a black sheep within his own family, struggling with relationships with his father and those close with the Talbot family. His issues are made worse when he has no control over his new werewolf persona, killing people and stalking an engaged young woman who has refused his advances.
While Larry is a problematic character in a lot of ways, especially in how he doesn’t listen to his love interest Gwen [who is an engaged woman in love with another man], he’s really the only character we follow throughout. He’s the only character we care about because he has depth and is the only one who struggles with anything major in THE WOLF MAN. You want him to reconcile with his father. You get upset when people tell him he’s mentally ill because he believes in werewolves, to the point where he claims to be one himself. You wish he could have a chance with Gwen, who is sweet on Larry but faithful to Frank. Larry is a complex character in a simple narrative. Unfortunately, none of the other characters come close to having any depth or interesting arcs besides maybe fortune teller Maleva, who pops up whenever she needs to bail Larry out of a werewolf situation. Most of the other classic Universal Monsters films have supporting characters you can identify with, but THE WOLF MAN suffers from not having many. Pretty tough to do that when your movie is only 70 minutes.
And while the story is simple, you can take a lot of thematic subtext from THE WOLF MAN. Is this film about male puberty and sexual repression? Are we dealing with topics of duality, like a Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde situation? Is this a story about mental health and mental illness? Is Larry dealing with paranoia, anxiety, depression with everyone around him treating him feel lesser because of it, to the point where he has to transform and take it out on people as a mindless animal? Is this just a film about good and evil, or love and rejection leading to terrible things? There’s so much psychological analysis you can make out of this film, which makes it timeless in a way. THE WOLF MAN may be a monster film on the surface, but there’s a much deeper interpretation of the narrative underneath it all.
Siodmak’s biggest contribution to werewolf lore are all the elements he brings to the table here that quickly become incorporated in other mainstream werewolf movies. We have the weakness of silver. Werewolves have the mark of a pentagram once they’ve been bitten. There’s even the famous quote about men turning into wolves as “wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” Like George A. Romero would do with zombies in the late 1960s, Siodmak formed the werewolf tropes as we know them today.
The acting is perfectly fine here. The biggest impression is obviously Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, aka the Wolf Man. At times, his performance is a bit awkward. But for the most part, he carries himself quite well and makes Larry a sympathetic character with goofy charm. Chaney Jr. also looks great in makeup, which makes him ideal for this dual role. Even better is Claude Rains as Sir John Talbot, Larry’s father. His performances are always top notch whether it’s in horror or something like CASABLANCA. The man brings class to every movie he’s a part of and here’s no exception. I liked his chemistry with Chaney Jr. Cool to see Ralph Bellamy here, even though he doesn’t really get a whole lot to do. Same for Bela Lugosi, who is gone as quickly as he appears. Maria Ouspenskaya is pretty great as Maleva though, bringing an air of mysticism to the proceedings. A good cast, even though a lot of them aren’t given much material to work with.
THE FINAL HOWL
While not the best Universal Monsters film ever made [my nod goes to 1935’s THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN], the original WOLF MAN is still pretty damn good all these decades later. Curt Siodmak crafts a simple [maybe too simple?] story that introduces a lot of the werewolf tropes that would continue to be implemented in werewolf movies to this very day. Director George Wagnner does a nice job visualizing the narrative with nice atmosphere and a spooky mood in the last half, while highlighting the use of makeup and dissolves to showcase the werewolf transformation. It may look hokey now, but it probably wowed audiences back in 1941. The actors are fine, mainly Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains and Maria Ouspenskaya. I wish the supporting characters had more depth because you don’t really care for them [Chaney Jr.’s Larry Talbot has the only real arc]. And the film may be a bit too short at seventy minutes to give the actors more to do. But THE WOLF MAN is a classic for a reason and still maintains a charm that will continue to make it resonate for many moons to come.
Starring:Odessa Young, Joe Cole, Siobhan Finneran, Rory McCann, Turlough Convery, Lewis Gribben
Genre:Horror/Drama/Mystery/Supernatural
Running Time:89 Minutes
Plot:
A 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
Review:
In 2024, the movie season started with the terrible NIGHT SWIM - one of the several Blumhouse disappointments of 2024 that I don’t even remember or even want to rewatch. Fortunately things picked up throughout the year, but man did 2024 start out rough.
At least 2025 is kicking things off slightly strong with the independent horror film, THE DAMNED - a film I knew nothing about before blindly buying a ticket for it yesterday. Didn’t watch a trailer for it. I never looked at reviews. I just wanted an excuse to go to a theater, considering it’s a dead weekend, and this seemed like the only choice.
THE DAMNED has some good things going for it. The acting is pretty solid, especially lead Odessa Young. The cinematography by Eli Arenson is strikingly beautiful. Considering the film takes place in Iceland, you definitely feel the cold while admiring the gorgeous snowy location. And director Thordur Palsson crafts such a layer of a bleak and moody atmosphere that it would give Robert Eggers a chub the size of Nosferatu’s dong.
I also liked the themes of grief, guilt and isolation throughout, which is represented when the characters start seeing apparitions that may or may not relate to some local legend that haunt those who have sinned in some way while at sea. But then you start wondering if the ghosts even exist or is this all psychological due to hunger and cabin fever. THE DAMNED wants to create this rollercoaster of emotions for the characters, which really comes into fruition during the third act.
It’s a shame that the narrative is so thin and not all that interesting. The characters, besides Young’s “Eva” and Joe Cole’s “Daniel”, are pretty interchangeable at times. Hell, I don’t even know their names and I just watched this movie. The first act is pretty strong, but once the inciting incident happens, the middle portion of the film is such a slow burn that you’ll end up falling asleep. I personally had trouble keeping my eyes open during this portion. Thank goodness for those jump scare stingers to keep me from napping. And there are some unresolved things in the story as well that I wish were explained or explored more.
There’s even a twist at the very end that I’m on the fence about. The twist itself is not overly surprising, but there’s no real resonance when it happens. Certain characters react to it but then, the film just rolls into the end credits. Instead of feeling the effects of the reveal, you’re just left telling yourself - oh, that happened.
But THE DAMNED is a beautiful looking film that may please those looking for a slow burn horror-mystery with a short runtime. Just be in the mood for it and drink a lot of caffeine in case your eyes get drowsy during that middle portion. Worth checking out if this is your bag. Better start for the year than NIGHT SWIM at least.
Even though this blog has been quiet for most of 2024, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been watching 2024 horror films during my absence. I've been mainly posting quick reviews on my Instagram Stories and Letterboxd throughout the year. So I figured I might as well post those thoughts here.
I plan on posting future short reviews for movies monthly [unless I feel the film deserves a longer review] on the blog going forward.
Plot:FBI Agent Lee Harker is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer. As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.
Review: Over hyped? Yes. Scariest movie of all time? Not even close. But LONGLEGS is still an unsettling film with cool visual shots and damn good performances [Maika Monroe, Alicia Witt and especially Nicolas Cage]. Lost me during the final act and never hits that SILENCE OF THE LAMBS or ZODIAC peak of greatness. But I was a long for the ride for a majority of it and those into thrillers and horror should really give this a shot, if you haven't already.
Plot:While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Review: For a film that was meant to be a Hulu exclusive, I’m glad ALIEN: ROMULUS got a chance at a theatrical release because this is one of the better films in this franchise. I liked the young cast [Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are fantastic]. Fede Alvarez continues to be one of the better modern horror directors, as ROMULUS has a super solid visual presentation. In particular, this is the first time in a long time where the aliens are actually treated as creepy, scary and as threats to the protagonists. And yes, ROMULUS is a movie built on fan service and it never shies away from that. The Easter Eggs - oh boy, you’ll be doing that DiCaprio point meme quite a lot. I’m glad this film did well enough for Disney/Fox to greenlit another installment. Really dug this and look forward to whatever is next in this series.
BLINK TWICE (2024)
Directed By:Zoe Kravitz
Starring:Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, Adria Arjona, Alia Shawkat, Liz Caribel Sierra, Trew Mullen, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)
Plot:When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne, and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s something sinister hiding beneath the island’s lush façade.
Review:BLINK TWICE is a solid directorial debut by Zoe Kravitz, who brings a psychological thriller full of tension and intrigue until the very end. While not totally original, it does possess a message that’s uncomfortably necessary about toxic masculinity and the treatment of women by toxic men. Naomi Ackie brings a multilayered performance, while Channing Tatum feels natural in his role and has a memorable monologue in the film’s wild final act. Adria Arjona is also really great in her supporting role. It doesn’t all work, but BLINK TWICE makes me eager to see more projects from Kravitz. I think this is a film that’s worth your time.
THE CROW (2024)
Directed By:Rupert Sanders
Starring:Bill Skarsgard, FKA twigs, Danny Huston, Josette Simon, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila
Score:1.5 Howls Outta 4 (4 out of 10)
Plot:Soulmates Eric and Shelly are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
Review: I was expecting much worse from this new CROW adaptation. The acting by everyone [especially Bill Skarsgard and FKA twigs] is fine. Some of the action sequences are alright. The soundtrack is cool. But other than that, this is a pretty soulless and charmless reboot. No atmosphere. The plot is super messy. And the villains aren’t all that interesting [Danny Huston deserves better material]. I also felt the love angle didn’t feel all that natural or organic either. If you’re a fan of THE CROW, I would check this out only if you’re curious. Otherwise, stick to the much better 1994 adaptation. You’re not really missing anything here.
STRANGE DARLING (2023/2024)
Directed By:JT Mollner
Starring:Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Madisen Beaty, Bianca A. Santos, Steven Michael Quezada, Ed Begley Jr., Barbara Hershey
Score:3.5 Howls Outta 4 (9 out of 10)
Plot:Nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.
Review:STRANGE DARLING is one of my favorite films of 2024. Twisted, quirky, weird and pretty intense at times, this film makes you believe the story is going one way and it just gives you a middle finger while sending you another way. Scream King Kyle Gallner is great, but Willa Fitzgerald steals the whole damn show. The film is shot in 35mm and looks great [thanks to actor Giovanni Ribisi, who did the cinematography]. This is one of those thrillers where the less you know, the better. One of the best surprises of 2024.
AFRAID (2024)
Directed By:Chris Weitz
Starring:John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Keith Carradine, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, Ashley Romans, David Dastmalchian
Score: 1 Howl Outta 4 (3 out of 10)
Plot:Curtis Pike and his family are selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA observes the family’s behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can – and will – make sure nothing – and no one – gets in her family’s way.
Review: I think ChatGPT actually wrote AFRAID, which is about an evil AI device. The actors are fine, I guess. But they’re not fine enough to save this film. The dialogue is atrocious. Things happen in this film with no real repercussions. There are barely any horror moments that are memorable. The last few minutes of AFRAID are super ridiculous. Thankfully, the film is only 84 minutes. And while terrible, this movie made me unintentionally laugh at times over how stupid it is. So I can’t say I was bored. But if you’re looking for another M3GAN, this ain’t it.
SPEAK NO EVIL (2024)
Directed By:James Watkins
Starring:James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Francosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (7 out of 10)
Plot:When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.
Review: While 2024’s SPEAK NO EVIL is an unnecessary remake of the 2022 film of the same name, damn if it isn’t a fun time. James McAvoy is having the time of his life playing an intimidating villain who makes the protagonists super uncomfortable any chance he can get. The first two acts are similar to the original, but this version takes a more Hollywood thriller finale. The original film upset me more and is more of a gut punch. But this is a solid watch and worth a look just for McAvoy.
THE SUBSTANCE (2024)
Directed By:Coralie Fargeat
Starring:Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Score:4 Howls Outta 4 (10 out of 10)
Plot:A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
Review: For a film I had barely heard of prior to its theatrical release in September, it’s funny how THE SUBSTANCE became one of my favorite films of 2024. Demi Moore has never been better, playing an aging Hollywood actress who takes a serum to be an “enhanced version of herself” [played by a superb Margaret Qualley], Dennis Quaid is also great as a sleazy and gross producer named “Harvey”. With beautiful cinematography and gross special effects [mostly practical], this is right up my alley. If you enjoy body horror with strong commentary on female aging and the effects of staying relevant in Hollywood, definitely check this out on Mubi or on VOD. The only film this year to get my highest recommendation, so far.
WEREWOLVES (2024)
Directed By:Steven C. Miller
Starring:Frank Grillo, Katrina Law, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jimmy Cummings, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kamdynn Gary
Score: 2 Howls Outta 4 (5 out of 10)
Plot:A year after a supermoon’s light activated a dormant gene, transforming humans into bloodthirsty werewolves and causing nearly a billion deaths, the nightmare resurfaces as the supermoon rises again. Two scientists attempt to stop the mutation but fail, leaving those exposed to the moonlight to once again become feral werewolves. Chaos engulfs the streets as the scientists struggle to reach one of their family homes, now under siege by the savage creatures.
Review: Did you ever watch THE PURGE and wish instead of murderous humans, you got lycanthropes instead? Well then, WEREWOLVES is for you! Hell, they even cast Frank Grillo [star of two PURGE films] as the lead. This should totally work, right?
Unfortunately, WEREWOLVES is just an average action-horror film that has a ton of potential but never takes all the interesting elements about the film to make it truly succeed. I like the idea of a supermoon unlocking wolf powers. I like the idea of communities so scared that they’re quarantining themselves during full moons. I like the idea of trying to find a cure for this gene. I even like badass Frank Grillo doing all he can to protect his sister-in-law and niece from a werewolf home invasion. But the premise is more interesting than any of the bland archetypes we’re supposed to care about. And Steven C. Miller is good with action, but there’s barely any tension because we hardly have any time with these characters, especially when the two major subplots go back-and-forth so quickly, all flow and momentum is gone.
I will say the werewolves look pretty great though, as they seem like a mix of both practical and CGI effects. Some of the gore effects are pretty gnarly. And Grillo does what he does best, playing a cool hero who has a ton of agency. And despite feeling disappointed by WEREWOLVES, I’m happy to see a B-movie get some A-list attention in theaters for a change, even if it didn’t light the box office on fire. This will probably be worth mooning over on streaming.
NOSFERATU (2024)
Directed By:Robert Eggers
Starring:Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skasgard, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson
Score:3 Howls Outta 4 (8 out of 10)
Plot:A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
Review: Shout-out to the people laughing, snoring and walking out of NOSFERATU (2024). It didn't help my viewing experience at all...
I dug the acting in this for the most part, even if I thought some actors were overdoing it a bit. I liked the gothic and Victorian vibe. The film may be a bit too long and the pacing is a bit slow and off at times. I also wasn't a fan of Count Orlok's new look, although I respect Eggers wanting to change it up for his adaptation. I might like it more when I stream it at home. But right now, it's a soft 3 Howls.
