Are Werewolves the same as the Wolf Man seen in this movie? I genuinely don’t know, and this movie doesn’t really help get me any closer to the answer.

Leigh Whannell’s take on the wolf man is similar to The Fly. It’s a slow burn that focuses on relationships and puts us right in the middle of a troubling time for our characters. 

It’s a very tight movie in the way that we really don’t get to learn more than maybe three characters’ names, and we spend a lot of time inside of a house. I was hoping for a deeper exploration into the character dynamics outside of just giving the daughter mottos and catch phrases. 

Visually, Wolf Man is a 50/50 film. There are shots of the mountains in Oregon that are breathtaking, and Leigh professionally moves the camera around in a way that will have you guessing where things are coming from at all times. BUT, someone should have paid the light bill. I’m willing to admit it was partially a theater issue, but at the same time, it was very difficult to see what was happening in general. 

The practical effects on the wolf man are incredibly done, even if I do find the cryptid pretty ugly. Christopher Abbott does a fantastic job with his physical acting and giving the crowd something to bloody cheer for. I also found using the perspective of the wolf man and his struggles particularly fantastic. The best part of this movie has to be the sound design though. It’s brilliant in many ways from elevating the screams to misdirecting you around the small things. 

Wolf Man is frustrating at times, yet has some great practical effects and direction. You’ll get bored with the characters and won’t really even know who to feel bad for. 

6.8/10