Since the dawn of cinema, the werewolf has been one of the core movie monsters. However, unlike the vampire, the creature doesn’t have the same extensive catalogue of films. Search film history and there are sadly too few examples of cinematic exploits featuring the furry beasts. This is for the simple reason that werewolves are hard, and expensive, to create on screen. Whilst some films, such as the Twilight saga, rely on CGI to create the creatures, the only true way to make a viable werewolf is to embrace the timely and costly practical effect route. Unfortunately, few productions have this level of budget, which means it is always exciting when somebody does manage the impossible feat.
The latest filmmaker to birth the werewolf onto screen is Steven C. Miller with his latest film, Werewolves. Not only has Miller managed the seemingly impossible by bringing the practical werewolf back to the screen, he has also shaken things up, moving the movie monster from it’s traditional horror setting to a more action-focussed arena. As Werewolves begins, it is eager to get to the action, and opens with a string of expositional text that sets the scene. One year ago, a supermoon caused a significant percentage of the human population to inexplicably mutate into werewolves for the evening. Ever since, scientists have been hard at work at creating a potential cure. Now, as another supermoon approaches, the team seek to trial their serum whilst at the same time civilians are battering down the hatches as they prepare to hopefully survive the night.
These expositional words, help bring the audience nicely up to speed and negates the need to show a lot of the set-up. Instead, Werewolves starts with Lou Diamond Phillips’ scientist being interviewed about his team’s efforts before moving on to introduce Werewolves’ lead character, Wesley, played by Frank Grillo. Not only is Wesley one of the big brains behind the team hoping to prevent the supermoon from turning more people, he’s also a former military Captain. This means that he provides both the brains and brawn; essential components for the carnage that is to come. Before clocking in for the experiment, Wesley is seen helping his sister-in-law, Lucy (Ilfenesh Hadera), and his niece barricade their house for the night, granting yet another more caring side to the character. Once all the players are on the board, the anarchy begins.
As the supermoon hits, the world is once more flooded with werewolves and, after an issue in the lab, Wesley finds himself doing battle with a never ending wave of the beasts. Much of Werewolves’ plot and construction feels straight out of a SyFy channel disaster b-movie or similar, but this isn’t a slight on Werewolves. By taking this approach, Miller taps into a rich vein of silliness that skyrockets the fun factor and appeal of Werewolves. For example, the serum being tested is called ‘Moonscreen’ which doesn’t exactly scream seriously toned movie. In not taking itself too seriously, Werewolves can forgo the need for scary setups and instead lean into the action elements, of which there are plenty.
Frank Grillo is the perfect casting for Werewolves as it pretty much boils down to The Purge Anarchy with werewolves. Grillo previously starred in The Purge Anarchy and his experience clearly helps here. As Wesley is once more a ferocious warrior, one who is once again dealing with grief. Wesley’s brother was a fatality of the first supermoon incident and this is what drives him to try and create a cure. He is also struggling with the sudden responsibility of a family, as he now must protect his brother’s wife and child. Grillo handles Wesley’s inner turmoil well, whilst at the same time managing to look effortlessly cool behind the controls of a minigun.
As previously mentioned, the werewolves themselves have been practically created. The work that has gone into their creation is second to none and the beasts are a mesh of the werewolves found in both The Howling and Dog Soldiers – two of the greatest modern werewolf films. That these creatures are as impressive as they are is the primary factor that elevates Werewolves from cringy and laughable DTV b-movie. They bring a certain gravitas to the piece and that there are so many of them on screen at any given moment serves to sell the danger that Wesley and those around him are in. This is not a simple one-on-one combat, but rather it is ratioed at something like 10+ werewolves to every human. Near insurmountable odds that raise the stakes, and make it entirely plausible that humans won’t last till morning.
Werewolves is not all plain sailing though. The film is built around two rival plots – Wesley’s escape from the laboratory, and Lucy’s ordeal to protect herself and her daughter from werewolf invaders. Alone, either of these narratives would make for a compelling foundation for a werewolf story, but when mixed together, they don’t quite work. The shifting focus dilutes some of the momentum, leaving the pacing slightly off-kilter.
A solid popcorn action movie smothered in werewolves, Steven C. Miller has brought back the practical werewolf with a bang. Having already been released in America, where it performed very well, it likely won’t be long until Werewolves 2 arrives, making Werewolves a prime example of a little independent film that could.
Werewolves
Summary
Frank Grillo is perfectly cast in this mash-up of The Purge and werewolves.
Werewolves is available on Digital Platforms 13th January and DVD 3rd February. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.
