Wolf Man: A Horror Flick with Bite

The Transformation Begins

When the sun goes down and the moon comes out, a beast awakens which cannot be tamed. Now, this creature is returning to the big screen after years of dormancy! Wolf Man is the latest adaptation of the classic source material, trailing all the way back to the classic monster film from 1941. This particular story has seen many adaptations, with the latest releasing in 2010. However, after that version flopped critically and financially, the Wolf Man character has not seen much screen-time. 

Now, horror visionary Leigh Whannell–known for his work on Saw, Insidious, and the 2020 version of The Invisible Man–has released a new take on the classic character to help kick off the 2025 movie season. Unfortunately, this version has not been released with flying colors, opening to mixed reviews from critics leaning slightly more on the negative side. Additionally, due to similar audience reception and competition from other films–including Mufasa: The Lion King, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and One of Them Days–it saw subpar box office numbers, having grossed $29 million worldwide as of Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. But despite the warning signs, I was still excited for this wolf to come into the light.

Horror is one of my go-to genres for film, and I love Whannell’s previous works. Whether it be as a writer or director, he boasts passion for the craft and consistently delivers memorable products. In fact, I’d make the argument that his version of The Invisible Man is one of the best horror remakes in recent memory. I was ecstatic for his next directorial effort, and figured another classic monster would be right up his alley. Plus, the Wolf Man has always been a character that has fascinated me, so I wanted to see what Whannell’s own interpretation of him would be like. 

With these factors in mind, I eagerly attended a screening on Thursday, Jan. 16 at the nearby Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. Walking out of the film, only one question remained: could this new version be worth howling over, or should it have never escaped out of the woods?

A New Type of Breed

Wolf Man centers on a family man who takes his wife and daughter to his rural childhood home in Oregon following the death of his father. But, after being attacked by a ravenous creature en route, the father begins to undergo a horrific transformation after finding shelter, as the family fights for survival. The movie features a limited cast, with primary performers including Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, and Sam Jaeger.

As I mentioned before, this adaptation takes the classic Wolf Man story and adds a new spin on it, causing polarization in its reception. However, I found myself enjoying the changes as they provided a refreshing spin on the source material while staying true to its origins. Without giving too much away about the story, I can say that the film is more focused on the transformation into the wolf man rather than the carnage that follows suit. This fresh concept led to an engaging script, accompanied by a strong sense of dread in the atmosphere. I often felt worried in certain scenes of the picture, reminiscent of Whannell’s The Invisible Man, especially as the third act approached. In turn, this created many memorable moments even as the script gets hairier. 

This fresh take on a classic concept also led to some surprisingly strong character moments, especially as the family traverses through the night in hope of survival. There’s a surprisingly great dynamic between Abbott, Garner, and Firth, as they all provide emotional performances growing increasingly more tense as the runtime progresses. In Abbott’s case, he sells the physicality, skepticism, and fear of someone undergoing a horrific transformation, helping him to stand out from previous Wolf Man performers. Meanwhile, Garner and Firth act as more of the heart of the movie, especially once the conflict kicks off. Without giving too much away, I can say their interactions feel genuine while hitting emotional beats aplenty, adding a layer of somberness to the tone which helps viewers feel for the characters.

Can’t Fight the Moonlight

As I mentioned before, this adaptation heavily relies on the transformation of the protagonist into the wolfman, opposed to the chaos caused by the creature. This idea is what may turn some viewers away, as the film relies on body horror, a subgenre focused on horrific evolutions one endures throughout the runtime; examples can be seen in movies such as The Substance and the 1986 version of The Fly. In turn, Wolf Man showcases uncomfortable imagery as the canine conflict gets worse, culminating in the final minutes. The practical effects which bring this transformation to life are convincing, and left me feeling unsettled yet fascinated in how the creative team managed to pull them off. 

The body-centric horror is not the only type of fright in this movie, as it is also accompanied by some jumpscares, the classic tactic used commonly in modern scary films to get a startled reaction out of the audience. Admittedly, though, these did not frighten me as much as the practical effects since most of the scares did not phase me. While there was one towards the beginning which got a slight jump out of me, the others were fairly predictable, feeling less frightening and more cheap. As such, they can lead the tension of the plot in the wrong direction, ruining what could have been some solid scenes. 

Even with these faulted moments, however, the suspense of the atmosphere still helped the movie to feel unnerving. The predictable scares may have affected certain moments, but there’s much more to this flick than just a few seconds-long instances. Under Whannell’s direction, the horrified performances and fantastic effects help this adaptation to run on its own four legs and provide an unnerving experience. 

Sinking its Claws

As with most horror flicks, the third act is the culmination of everything the movie builds up to, primarily as the beast’s transformation finishes. For the most part, these final minutes were tense and matched the rest of the atmosphere, consistently maintaining suspense even with a slight tonal change as the movie became more action-heavy. While this did make for an engaging conclusion, there were a few aspects about it that hold me back from calling it the best part. 

These faults largely tie back to the editing, especially with the cinematography. Up until this point, the lighting and camera work had been satisfactory for the film’s aims: a dark, dreary location with slower-moving camera, both of which help sell the suspense. However, once more action comes into the fray, the camera becomes more frantic. Mixed with the dark lighting from the secluded setting, it makes some of the action a bit hard to keep track of as the camera shakes by design to keep up with the onscreen events. 

After the action dies down, the ending of the movie comes into play, but it is also a bit conflicting. I will say, the scene hits great emotional beats because of its performances and faithfulness to other Wolf Man adaptations, which led me to remember the scene vividly, weeks after my initial viewing. But soon after something vital happens, the film concludes rather suddenly. It left me with questions for what happened next, but before they could be answered, the credits began. I would have appreciated a bit more closure for certain character arcs or a brief epilogue of what happened after the ordeal rather than a sudden, anticlimactic cut to black. 

A Monster Mash

Overall, despite some cheap jump scares, wonky editing, and an abrupt ending, Wolf Man is an underrated creature feature elevated by its strong performances, emotional character dynamics, suspenseful atmosphere, and frightening practical effects. If you’re into thrilling stories, Whannell’s previous work, or the Wolf Man brand in general, I’d highly recommend giving this picture a watch. 

While this new interpretation of the Wolf Man story might not appeal to some audiences due to its emphasis on body horror, I’d still say it is worth checking out if you want to see something different with this concept. This film is currently playing at theaters nationwide, including the Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas close to campus. If you’re looking for something to do on a cold, quiet night, checking this movie out would be a solid choice.

Despite mixed-to-negative press, this movie let out a mighty howl, helping it to stand out from the pack like a full moon on a pitch black night.