Werewolves sinks its teeth into an ingenious premise, only to gnaw it into a mangled mess of missed opportunities. Frank Grillo does his best to alpha-male his way through the chaos, but inconsistent tone, budget werewolf costumes, and a script thinner than a werewolf’s patience on a cloudy night make this film more bark than bite.
★★☆☆☆
Werewolves begins with a tantalising premise: a supermoon awakens a dormant werewolf gene, unleashing an apocalyptic wave of monstrous transformations across humanity worldwide. Surely mixing The Purge with werewolves is an easy setup for a great horror flick?
Sadly, this isn’t the case. The film struggles to deliver on its initial promise, leaving audiences with a middling creature feature that bites off more than it can chew.
The opening minutes are concise and get right into the meat of the plot, delivering a chilling monologue and a frenetic montage that establish the stakes with urgency. The world is in chaos, and humanity’s survival hinges on scientific innovation and sheer grit. It’s a strong start, evoking the dystopian energy of films like 28 Days Later (2002) or The Purge (2013). But as the narrative unfolds, cracks in the story, character development, and execution begin to show, turning what could have been a cult classic into a disappointing slog.
Frank Grillo, as Dr. Wesley Marshall, shoulders much of the film’s weight. A rugged CDC scientist with a knack for action-hero one-liners, Grillo exudes charisma and commands attention even when the material lets him down. Lines like “Bite me” and “Alright, you hairy motherf****rs, come fetch” walk the fine line between campy and cringe-worthy, but Grillo’s delivery keeps them entertaining.
Yet, even his magnetic presence can’t save Wesley from being a one-dimensional character. His arc is predictable, his motivations straightforward, and his relationships underdeveloped. Grillo shines in physical action scenes, but the script offers little depth to make Wesley memorable beyond his role as the tough survivalist. He’s supposed to be a scientist! There’s not much separating this character from the one Grillo played in the Purge movies.
Supporting characters fare even worse. Katrina Law’s Amy, Wesley’s fellow scientist and travel companion, is serviceable as a scene partner but drastically underwritten. The widowed sister-in-law (Ilfenesh Hadera) and her young daughter are little more than narrative devices, existing solely to give Wesley something to fight for.
The idea of a werewolf pandemic caused by moonlight exposure is undeniably intriguing, but the film barely scratches the surface of its potential. Instead of exploring the societal breakdown, ethical dilemmas, or psychological toll of such a scenario, the story narrows its focus to Wesley’s journey through an almost-empty city.
The few attempts at world-building are frustratingly shallow. A spray-on treatment called “moon screen” is introduced as a way to prevent transformation, but its implications are glossed over in favor of straightforward action, robbing the narrative of the depth that it sorely needs. Visually, the werewolf-infested urban wasteland feels disappointingly barren. Budget constraints are evident, with the ‘city’ consisting of a few empty streets and occasional glimpses of poorly rendered CGI werewolves. The lack of scope diminishes the film’s apocalyptic tone, making the world feel small and lifeless.
Even the werewolves themselves are inconsistent. Sometimes they’re mindless killing machines; other times, they demonstrate coordinated intelligence. This tonal inconsistency is a missed opportunity; leaning into either pure horror or embracing the chaotic fun could have elevated the experience.
One of the film’s few commendable efforts lies in its use of practical effects. The werewolf transformations—while occasionally bolstered by mediocre CGI—are brought to life with a tactile quality that’s rare in modern horror. The dedication to physical effects evokes classics like An American Werewolf in London (1981), where transformation scenes became iconic for their visceral detail.
Unfortunately, the quality of the werewolf designs undermines these efforts. The creatures often look more comical than terrifying, especially during a climactic werewolf-on-werewolf brawl that feels like a low-budget Halloween attraction. Practical effects can only carry a film so far when the designs lack menace or creativity. It’s hard to take the supposed apocalyptic stakes seriously when you’re laughing at the monsters.
Steven C. Miller’s direction prioritises high-octane action over atmospheric tension, and it’s a choice that ultimately muzzles the film. While the action scenes are fast-paced and bloody, they lack the suspense and stakes that define great horror. The relentless barrage of violence and jump scares grows monotonous, and the absence of quieter moments leaves little room for the audience to breathe or connect with the characters.
Great horror often reflects societal fears, using its monsters as metaphors for real-world anxieties. Werewolves flirts with this idea but never commits. The concept of a werewolf pandemic could have been fertile ground for examining fear, control, and identity. Instead, the film sticks to predictable survival tropes, missing the chance to sink its fangs into the larger implications of its world.
What would happen to communities that can’t afford moon screen? How would governments respond to the crisis? Would cults or extremist groups emerge, worshipping the transformation as a form of divine evolution? These questions remain unanswered, leaving audiences with a premise full of potential but devoid of exploration.
B-movies don’t need to be profound to succeed. They thrive on audacity, creativity, and an embrace of their limitations. Werewolves tries to balance camp and seriousness but falters. The result is a film that feels stuck in limbo—too polished to be endearingly bad, but too clumsy to be genuinely good. Its best moments are overshadowed by its lack of ambition and imagination.
The Verdict
At its best, Werewolves is an entertaining, if shallow, diversion. At its worst, it’s a squandered opportunity—a film with a killer logline but no claws to back it up. With a sharper script, more consistent direction, and a willingness to fully embrace its wild side, it could have been a standout entry in the werewolf genre. Instead, it’s a shaggy mess—a reminder that even the most promising ideas can end up chasing their tails without the right execution.
Words by Kieran Webb
Werewolves is available on digital platforms from January 13th and on DVD from January 20th.
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