Wolf Man: Inventive Re-imagining

I loved the previews I saw of Wolf Man and even though I was dubious about a new werewolf film, I was tentatively excited about the cast. After watching the film, I can tell you that I found the makeup effects astounding, the acting emotional and the film is an inventive re-imagining of the werewolf legend.

“Wolf Man” is a horror film directed by Leigh Whannell from a screenplay he co-wrote with Corbett Tuck. In the film, Blake (Zac Chandler) and his father, Grady (Sam Jaeger) encounter a wolf-like creature when Blake is a boy and survive by hiding in a hunting blind. Thirty years later, Blake (Christopher Abbott) discovers that his father has been declared dead and decides to take his wife, Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) with him to his father’s land to sort through his belongings. Along the way they encounter a monstrous creature. Blake attempts to protect his family but gets bitten, finding himself slowly transforming into the creature. Charlotte and Ginger must find a way to survive both the original monster and Blake, before Blake mutates too far to even recognize his own family.

What makes this such an inventive reimagining is the idea of a virus transforming a person into a wolf like creature, slowly degrading their ability to communicate, to think, to reason beyond survival. It slowly transforms the person into something unrecognizable and primitive, stripping them of their identity and their emotions, beyond rage and hunger. It is terrifying and the premise is well written in the film, demonstrating Blake’s love for his wife and daughter beforehand, setting up how different he is from his father but also playing with the idea of fatherhood and not becoming our parents. It is rich and full of psychological elements that drive the tension and the pace of the movie.

Another aspect that I found astoundingly well enacted was the makeup and special effects. Blake’s transformation is subtle, at first only indicated by sweating and manic behaviour but the special effects begin highlighting changes, like in his hearing and his vision. I love how his vision changes to allow him to see in the dark and how that is presented in the movie. It is beautifully designed and utilized in the film. And as Blake changes, the makeup adds little changes like his teeth or his face changing in little ways that add to the suspense and emotion of the events. The film also uses darkness, shadows and light in a way to add to the tension and the horror of the movie. It is a powerful and interesting way to shape the narrative and heightens the dread of each moment.

The acting is emotional and powerful. Christopher Abbott is especially expressive even once the change has happened. He still conveys such emotion with each glance, each view of his eyes. He makes you believe in the changes taking place and the horror of the events, making the audience identify with the monster. Julia Garner and he have a beautiful connection and dynamic. She is equally expressive, especially in the moments when she and Ginger are fighting for their lives. I love the relationship built between Ginger and Blake, and Matilda Firth as Ginger does an incredible job of making us root for the relationship between the two even when you know it is doomed as Blake changes. There are some raw and dynamic moments between all three that highlight the emotional horror as much as the physical tension.

I was completely absorbed by the story and the suspense, the dread of the film. The film has a rich depth to it as the horror unfolds for this family. I love the theme of fatherhood, of changing to not be your parents but the inescapable truth, that we carry our parents with us in our bones and blood, in the behaviors we learn and that it takes true strength to change. If you like a beautifully inventive re-imagining of an old story, this is the movie for you. It is powerful, emotional, full of dread and tension and truly sells the horror. It also has amazing special effects and makeup. It is worth seeing in this new year and brings a new vision to an old idea.