is a bit of a howler
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Rating: ««
out of ««««
Running Time: 103 minutes
This film from Universal Picture is currently playing in theaters.
The classic Universal Monsters line has recently gotten a bit of a boost with the box office success of The Invisible Man remake in 2020. This reviewer thought that the picture had lapses in logic, but did incorporate interesting new elements, including taking on the narrative point-of-view of an individual being tormented by the maniac. The writer/director of that hit is also at the helm of Wolf Man, an update of another familiar figure.
The story follows stay-at-home, San Francisco-based dad Blake Lovell (Christopher Abbott), who is husband to workaholic Charlotte (Julia Garner) and father to young Ginger (Matilda Firth). Through a flashback, we learn that the protagonist grew up in the wilds of Oregon with his pop, Grady (Sam Jaeger). Sadly, Grady was intense, frequently losing his cool with his boy (although the traumatic event that follows seems to prove the warnings right).
Thirty years later, Blake is fighting to control his own mood swings and is estranged from Ginger. One day, a letter arrives. It states that after disappearing in the forest eight years ago, Grady has now been officially declared dead. The lead decides that this is a great opportunity for everyone to vacation at his childhood home and rebuild family bonds. But on their way to the remote house in the woods, they are attacked by a beast, leaving Blake wounded.
This tale is told over a single night as the family try to board themselves in the house, all while Blake is beginning to show signs of being infected and transforming into a similar monster.
The film tries to keep things claustrophobic and menacing. However, right from the get-go this viewer had a hard time relating to the characters or caring about their plight. While the first act clearly establishes problems in the protagonist’s marriage, there is such a spacy disconnect between the two that it’s hard to believe the couple have spent at least a decade together. And as the attacks begin, Ginger even seems surprisingly indifferent to the physical and psychological peril that her father is in.
Truth be told, it isn’t clear if Blake has no memory of the strange and dangerous event from his childhood or why he would want to take his family to the rundown, potentially dangerous locale (besides briefly complimenting the remarkable scenery and admitting to missing his father now that he’s gone). And as the story progresses, there are even more odd choices and reactions that don’t seem plausible. The film may be an attempt at a metaphor for a family member becoming gravely ill and how the others attempt to deal with their passing, but it doesn’t come off effectively.
The colors in the photography were muted and dull at the screening I attended, adding a heaviness to the proceedings. And right from the antagonist’s arrival, it’s obvious what is going on and who the menace is. The reveal, accompanied by loud strings and a pained character emoting over the situation, doesn’t resonate and instead comes across as silly.
On a positive note, there are a few impressive camera angles. One action scene involving the moving truck at the end of the first act is striking. At one point, the view tilts and moves through the trees to emphasize just how threatening that situation is. The pans, in which the environment changes to show what Blake is experiencing, are creative as well.
And there is one new, enjoyable wrinkle to the formula. For brief periods, the ailing husband begins to behave like an alpha wolf, standing up for his family against the threat. While this reviewer hoped it would send the story in a new direction, the idea isn’t fully developed.
Instead, the picture lumbers to a close in a rather flat and lifeless manner. It’s hard to get involved in a story when the conduct of the protagonists is difficult to rationalize, and much of the story simply involves a series of attack scenes. There aren’t any major shocks or surprises, and so, instead of building intensity, it ends up feeling like a slog. “Wolf Man” ultimately feels unconnected to other recent reboots of Universal monsters, and in the end that may ultimately be a good thing. This one is a bit of a howler.
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