“Even a man who is pure of heart, And says his prayers by night, May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms, And the Autumn moon is full and bright.” - Curt Siodmak
In 2020, writer and director Leigh Whannell unveiled his interpretation of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. Despite it being released in February, a time notorious for awful movies, it ended up as one of the best horror movies of the year. It is a phenomenal reimagining featuring a manic but ultimately triumphant performance from Elisabeth Moss in a modern retelling that utilizes the concept of invisibility to fascinating, thrilling and terrifying results. For anyone unfamiliar with Whannell, he got his start alongside horror guru, James Wan, with a small indie unassumingly titled, Saw. They are tremendous in the genre of horror and for the most part, their work, particularly when they are directing, has been stellar. This brings us to present day for Whannell’s latest reimagining, Wolf Man.
What I picked up immediately with The Invisible Man was the confidence behind it. I could feel when it wanted to remain traditional and when it absolutely had to deviate for plot reasons, character demands or necessary modernizing. This conviction permeates throughout Wolf Man perfectly blending what was with new brazen ideas creating something all its own. And it’s all the better for it. You can feel the determination to get this right. You can see it in the cinematography and handheld shots. You can feel it in the moments that completely catch you off guard of which there are many. It is deliberate in its movement, never wasting time or thought on what could have happened but focusing all its energy on creating the most thrilling sequences the creators can put together.
Once again, Wolf Man in January feels like a lack of confidence in the final product. And that’s a shame because Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man is exceptional. One of the most unexpected aspects to the film is the speed in which it gets the main story going. It sets its backstory, creates a loose understanding of the local lore and then runs off never stopping or relenting until the final frame. It is a tension fueled nightmare that never relinquishes or gives in to exhaustion. It is a fearsome, uncompromising nightmare that achieves both genuine scares and epic sequences that build to an ultimate confrontation that is both horrifying as well as tragic.
Amping up the tension is a riveting, epic musical score by maestro Benjamin Wallfisch. Wallfisch is known for such scores as Alien: Romulus, The Invisible Man, Blade Runner 2049 and It to name a few. With The Invisible Man he created a massive sounding score that emoted hopelessness, terror, confusion and victory. It is one of my favorite scores. He brings that same energy to Wolf Man creating a wall of sound that elevates the most intense scenes to even greater heights. In the moments of reluctant surrender to death he composes grand, engrossing and orchestral beauty that either rips your heart out or cements you into a state of catatonia. It is a truly tremendous score that takes this small, contained story and it gives it a colossal presence.
Christopher Abbott is a force as Blake. He balances a man torn apart by past encounters with his less-than-kind father and a determination to be nothing like his loveless homelife when it comes to his wife and daughter. He wants to acknowledge the things his dad was right about, the world being unforgiving and the need of knowing how to survive it, without abusing his place as his little girl’s most trusted and loved human being. He wants to teach her but in ways that his father never could have imagined in his soldier regimented fathering that plagued Blake’s youth. At the same time he senses a threat coming for his family and knows that whatever ruthlessness he retained from his father might be necessary to survive the night. He dreads the home he left behind long ago but must now face in hopes of closing a dark chapter of his life that will inevitably secure their future as a family. If the creature hunting them has any say, their future in question may not even matter by sun up.
Julia Garner has a difficult night as Charlotte trying to help her ailing husband, protect her small daughter and survive the walking, snarling claws and teeth carrying on just outside her estranged father in law’s crumbling rural home. She must toe the line between keeping her loved ones close and knowing when it’s time to cut ties and run. It’s a murky situation riddled in deceptively dark shadows, isolated surroundings and tragically immediate and permanent decisions that will change everything about her and her impressionable daughter. Her performance is one of tragedy and ferocity in the face of insurmountable horror. It is a character arc of victim turned survivor and she is powerfully relentless in her determination to protect that which matters most to her.
Wolf Man is an isolated tale of familial traumas coming back in adulthood separating those that will give into the cycle and those willing to break the cycle altogether. Among the misfortune of a broken family is a survival story replete with inconceivable terror, brutal violence, tragic outcomes and ill-fated reunion. The unseen, often heard about, always feared “face of the wolf” is proving itself to be anything but a myth. There is a poetry in the tragedy of family reuniting and finding the strength to stop the madness once and for all before it spreads to the innocence of a little girl. Of course, with most things in life, it’s easier said than done.
I am absolutely floored by how much I enjoyed this movie. It is deliriously intense, and perfectly paced. It is bloody and wince inducing. When it begins it is relentless until the very end. It is unbelievably scary when it wants to be and the massive score only enhances its fervor. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire runtime and only solidified my opinion that if Leigh Whannell is directing, chances are better than good it will be something worth the time and effort.
Rated R For: bloody violent content, grisly images and some language
Runtime: 103 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Horror
Starring: Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott, Matilda Firth, Ben Pendergast
Directed By: Leigh Whannell
Out of 10
Story: 9/ Acting: 8.5/ Directing: 9/ Visuals: 9
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below: