Wolf Man Movie Review: Takes a Nasty Bite Out of You

With a great personal setup and grisly direction, Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man takes a nasty bite out of you and cleverly reimagines a tried-and-true horror icon.

He previously helmed the 2020 remake of The Invisible Man, which was my favorite film of that year … not that it had much competition, but I still loved it. In this new reimagining of another classic horror movie monster, we follow a family consisting of husband Blake (Christopher Abbott, of Poor Things), his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner, of The Royal Hotel), and his daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth, of Disenchanted). 

Blake and Charlotte are facing a strained marriage in part due to the latter’s journalist job keeping her distant from her family. But they find themselves traveling to Blake’s childhood home in the Oregon woods after his father’s death is announced. Unfortunately, the family is attacked by a strange beast that infects Blake, causing him to become ill as he slowly transforms into … Well, take a guess. Hint: it ain’t a cuddly kitty cat. But it is part of a fresh, grisly, and emotionally impactful retelling of The Wolf Man that makes it feel like you’re watching this classic setup for the very first time.

While every performer is great, the unequivocal star of the show is Christopher Abbott, which I’m a little surprised to say. Going in, I wasn’t sure he looked like he could pull off the dual role of both wholesome father and savage beast, but he is chilling at both. Wolf Man’s extended opening sequence firmly establishes that Blake had an overly harsh father whose faults he is visibly trying his hardest to avoid as he raises his own child. You see that he’s succeeded, but every once in a while that roughness, whether in the form of lost temper or even coarse language, slips out.

This is immediately such a clever choice because it’s then so much more tragic when he’s forced, against his own will, to become a literal monster. His earnestness and interactions with Ginger are the touching heart and soul of the movie, and his strained chemistry with Garner gets you invested in a couple you believe love each other even while you understand why they’re not doing well. With all these instantly identifiable character threads established so well, what looks like such a basic monster-in-the-woods story gives you a strong foundation to care for everyone as they all depressingly unravel.

As Blake gradually turns, Abbott’s physical performance is terrifying. The uncanny makeup and prosthetics help, but it’s his swift, feral movements and expressions that sell you on this man being lost to the soul of an animal. It’s as realistic a depiction of a werewolf transformation as I can imagine. Garner and Firth, in turn, are appropriately shaken and haunted, with Charlotte forced to step up after feeling like she’s failed her daughter in the past.

But that’s not even factoring in how Whannell depicts Blake’s perspective from behind the camera. His direction is admirably restrained as he immaculately builds up the presence of the film’s nightmares. He almost sadistically toys with where and how they’ll strike, resulting in plenty of wonderful, properly earned “Oh sh*t!” moments. I also love how the Wolf Man transitions eerily between normal reality and how Blake starts seeing and even hearing everything, demonstrating things like his inability to understand his family as they speak to him. You’re made to be scared of him and for him in equal measure as he loses his human agency.

Where Wolf Man somewhat falters is in the middle. Not because it does anything poorly, but because parts of Blake’s change feel somewhat rushed. His physical transformation is perfectly paced, but he goes from a generally in-control person to near-mute and barely vigilant very abruptly. This is disappointing because the film so cleverly sets up how his change represents the overpowering nature of generational trauma. His father was too aggressive when he was young, and now he’s becoming too aggressive in a far worse way. Why would I look for generational trauma metaphors in werewolf movies, you may ask? Because I am a very odd person.

Don’t get me wrong; the metaphor still works and adds a layer of intelligence to the movie, especially once you have all the information. But I would have liked to see more effects of Blake’s personality towards his family. Maybe he’s more hostile to them, snapping more often and physically violent in a way that resembles a real abusive person. Maybe his family thinks he’s lashing out due to grief, and maybe he himself thinks he’s falling victim to instincts drilled in his head as a kid. If that was thoroughly tapped into instead of rushing him to a more catatonic state, Wolf Man could have been close to a masterpiece of horror.

I didn’t like some of the jump-scares either. Most of them aren’t false, but they do that thing I hate where the approaching monster pauses just before striking so you get that obnoxious quiet-moment-before-loud-jolt sensation. I’m never a fan of these. It’s like the werewolf had a moment where he just decided to screw with his prey for no reason. I’ll also nitpick and say that the werewolf design, while greatly executed, could have used much thicker hair on the body. I know that hardly matters at all in the big picture, but it would’ve completed the beastly appearance.

But really, none of these complaints undo the rich, nasty, deeply affecting experience that Wolf Man provides. I think it goes without saying that this isn’t a “fun” horror movie. It’s very grim and designed to feel as realistic as possible, though it’s definitely way more accessible than something like the new Nosferatu. I just love this approach to horror, where it’s not just about what the scares are but how they affect the grounded human characters. Between Upgrade, The Invisible Man, and now Wolf Man, Leigh Whannell has a trilogy of excellently made films that have guaranteed I’ll take a big, werewolf-sized bite into whatever he does next.

Wolf Man will be released in US and Canadian theatres and in UK & Irish cinemas on January 17, 2025.